Getaway Fly Fishing magazine #1

2017/2018 TRAVEL MAGAZINE

www.getaway-flyfishing.com

2017/2018 GETAWAY FLY FISHING

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GETAWAY FLY FISHING 2017 / 2018

Welcome to the world of Getaway Fly Fishing

GETAWAY FLY FISHING 2017 / 2018

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A R CTI C CH AR / 8 -19

STEELHEA D / 2 0- 33

B O NE FI S H / 5 0 -63

GIANT TREVALLY / 6 8-79

GETAWAY FLY FISHING 2017 / 2018

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL / 7 GREENLAND / 8 BRITISH COLUMBIA / 20 CHILE / 34

KI N G SALMON / 3 4-47

GEAR GUIDE / 48 BAHAMAS / 50 TALKING FLY RODS / 64 SUDAN / 68 NICARAGUA / 80 GEAR GUIDE / 94

GETAWAY FLY FISHING MAGAZINE Editors: Peter Lyngby & Thomas Søbirk Cover photo: Adam Tavender

TAR PO N / 8 0 -93

Thank you to all our great photographers, especially Matt Harris and Christiaan Pretorius.

Copyright Getaway Tours 2017

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about

G E TAWAY TO U R S

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We are based in Copenhagen (DK) and have been sending anglers to exciting destinations all across the globe since 2001.

In 2015, Getaway Tours was divided into Getaway Sea Angling and Getaway Fly Fishing.

We have a dedicated German sales office and a staff of international sales representatives.

Additionally, we work closely with fly shops all over Europe.

All Getaway clients are covered by our membership (member no. 1516) of The Danish Travel Guarantee Fund.

GETAWAY FLY FISHING 2017 / 2018

Main office:

+45 7021 8060 German office:

+49 38305 183155 info@getawaytours.eu www.getawaytours.eu

hello...

...AND THANK YOU FOR PICKING UP our fly fishing travel magazine!

I guess we decided to call it an actual magazine because who would do a 100-page fly fishing travel publication about a mere six different destinations and call it a brochure?

We feel that the six destinations featured offer some of the most attractive packages in the fly fishing travel industry today. They all have a certain level of uniqueness; low fishing pressure, amazing scenery and great fly fishing at value-for-money prices.

By focusing on relatively few destinations we are in a position to be deeply involved in each operation; suggesting adjustments or improvement where needed so we end up with the best possible product for our clients. These are the actual trips we would choose ourselves when going after bonefish, GT, arctic char, steelhead, king salmon or tarpon. They are simply our Favorite Getaways.

We are always looking for new fly fishing adventures but, for now, the six destinations on the following pages are the best value-for-money trips we have been able to find. I hope, after reading the magazine, your interest has been sparked and that, sooner or later, you’ll end up visiting one of our destinations with us.

I think it was Zane Grey who once wrote: Sometimes dreams, even those of a fisherman, come true.

He was right, you know!

Thomas Søbirk

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Greenland ARCTIC CHAR ...and a journey in time

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GRE EN L A N D

intro

T

he relationship between Denmark and Greenland goes back a long way. Three hundred years ago Danish Christian missionaries were sent to Greenland to preach Christianity, soon after merchants were running Danish colonies in Greenland and while Denmark surely is responsible for some of the darker periods in the history of bringing modern civilization to Greenland the two countries have maintained a strong relationship to this day.

Getaway Fly Fishing’s Danish background is probably a significant part of the reason why we are the biggest operator of fly fishing trips in Greenland today. It was a long and winding road getting to where we are today, but without a Danish background it is doubtful we could have build the strong partnerships that lie at the foundation of our present operations in Greenland.

We fished Greenland more than fifteen years before we ever got into the travel business and it took more than five years, after we went into this business, before we finally got the break in Greenland we were looking for. First, let’s explain a little bit about the history of sport fishing in Greenland: Every summer since the late seventies or early eighties, Danish fishermen have been fishing rivers in Greenland for sea-run arctic char. Almost every river on the world’s biggest island holds good numbers of char from late June throughout July and August, and anglers could catch plenty of fish: Typically, more char in a week than they could catch sea trout off the coasts or in the rivers back home – in a whole year!

Greenland became known as a fishing mecca for the Danes (and their Scandinavian neighbours in Sweden and Norway) but during the nineties the interest dropped.

Back then infrastructure in Greenland was even less developed than today, so only a few rivers close to the smaller cities could be fished. Though fish were plentiful, these rivers

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were often quite small – with one or two major holding pools – or glacier fed with greenish coloured water gushing out to sea. Also, the average size of the char in these rivers was affected by years of netting done by local fishermen. With many trout anglers taking up fly fishing, and a general change in focus from catching numbers to targeting bigger fish by with challenging methods, taking 15 or 20 char in the 1 – 3lb range from a glacier fed river on spinners just didn’t sell tickets anymore. No matter what, we had other ambitions – and we were always searching for undiscovered rivers offering “the real deal”.

We always knew they were there, but in country with the world’s fourth longest coastline (44.087 km!), hundreds of rivers and a mere 50,000 inhabitants, accessing most of them is nearly impossible.

In 2007, we teamed up with Sirius Greenland. Based in Sisimiut, Sirius was running a couple of long-range boats with the necessary certifications to transport tourists far away from civilisation. During the following years, we explored every major river in the area. On the available maps many looked promising but once we got there, most were too narrow, too short or with too few big fish to offer an interesting week’s fishing. (Yes, we have heard of Google Earth but unfortunately most satellite images have been collected between October and April where everything is kind of… white!).

What did work well was when we dropped off three young and adventurous fly fishermen and picked them up weeks later, after they had crossed five or six rivers and made lots of scouting notes.

Eventually, we picked out three rivers that offered what we wanted for great fly fishing: big fish and plenty of ginclear water to fish for a week. These are the three rivers where we have built our famous char camps; Camp Erfalik, Camp North and Camp South.

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GRE EN L A N D

I the

n a way, fly fishing in Greenland is like a journey in time. With our local rivers we can only try to imagine what fishing would’ve been like if humans had never interfered. In Greenland, however, you don’t need your imagination. You just need to go there. A couple of flights and three hours or so by boat, and that’s the closest you’ll probably ever come to travelling in a time machine.

FISHING

Maybe you have seen old pictures of American fly fishing hero, Lee Wulff, fishing for Atlantic salmon in Newfoundland with pools full of fish – something that is very hard to believe today. We, however, have pools like that in Greenland and with thousands of fish running a single river of ten kilometres or so; some of the pools can be like ‘moving carpets’ of a hundred arctic char or more. Funnily enough, you don’t get one every cast – in fact, when they are tricky, you don’t get one for a good, long time – but there is still something comforting in seeing such numbers of wild fish in a healthy, undammed and clear river.

You know they often tell you, “You should have been here yesterday”. And when you hear stories from times gone by, it’s not even yesterday you missed – instead, you should have been there twenty, thirty or even fifty years ago. In Greenland, yesterday is today and thirty years ago is now. It doesn’t get any better than this. When talking about anadro-

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mous fish in our life and times, the following might sound like a joke, but trust us: The fishing in Greenland has never- and won’t ever be better!

So, how good is the fishing then? Are we talking fifty fish per day – or a hundred? Luckily, neither! Sea-run arctic char are not always easy to fool into taking a fly, especially if the weather is too nice. They do, however, have their biting periods during the day and that’s when the real action happens.

scouting trip to the Erfalik River we brought a bit of everything in order to quickly establish if there was enough goodsized char to consider a camp there. On the first day, our two anglers started out with spinners. Many fish? Check! Good sized fish? Check! They had six more days on the river before the boat came back to pick them up…

After a few more days, they had also proven beyond any doubt that streamer fishing was really good: Lots of indomitable char up to- and in excess of 70 cm had been caught and released. Then one of them found a floating mouse fly in his box; a left over fly from a trip to Alaska earlier that summer. Why not? It was a nice overcast day and the fishing was hot. He had caught more than enough fish already so he cast his little mouse close to the far bank and enjoyed watching it make its way across the river. It looked pretty cool, so he gave it a few more casts, just for fun.

Well aware that there are no mice in Greenland, he was just goofing around with the mouse for a bit before going back to

In Greenland, yesterday is today and thirty years ago is now.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

Of course, if the conditions are good it is sometimes possible to catch ridiculous numbers of fish – but what’s the point in that? These are the times, when we have to challenge ourselves. That’s when the foam flies come into play.

Skating foam flies Before we found the rivers we fish today, we had no idea that arctic char would go for skated surface flies. On the very first

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GRE EN L A N D sure you have a good pair of breathable waders and boots you are comfortable hiking in. Make the extra effort and visit a neighbouring river or the upper stretches. If you are willing to hike for an hour or two, you can spend the entire day – or night, as it never gets dark during summer – fishing with a friend and not having another soul in sight. Besides seeing a big char inhale your foam fly, experiencing crazy runs and exposed backing - and having that 6-weight of yours bend all the way into the butt section, is what Greenland is all about.

That and fresh, clean air, solitude, polar foxes, birds of prey, midnight sun – and the feeling that you didn’t miss out by not being there yesterday, or yesteryear. You’re here now, and that’s the perfect time.

swinging streamers – but that’s when it happened! A wake formed several meters away, heading straight towards the mouse. When the wake reached the skating fly a nice-sized char opened its mouth, head out of the water, and sucked in the poor little thing! After that, we never really looked back!

We soon found out that foam flies in bright colours were much more effective than a brown deer hair mouse with black foam on the back, but that’s not the point. The point is, that

travelling to

GREENLAND SEASON: July-August.

Skating foam flies is super-cool so, whenever the fishing is on that’s all we do! when you can have the fish eat on the surface why would you then want to catch them below the surface ever again? Skating foam flies is super-cool so, whenever the fishing is on, that’s all we do!

For some reason we will probably never figure out, the char respond better to foam flies at Camp South and at Camp Erfalik than they do at Camp North. They still hit them at Camp North but usually for condensed periods of time. At the other two camps, on the other hand, we can fish foam flies for an entire day – sometimes for a full week. The flipside is that the fish are a bit bigger at Camp North, so they’re excused for being a little less surface-minded.

Covering water On Greenland, you don’t need to fish a lot of water in order to catch fish. You need to fish a lot of water to make the most out of your stay. With so much nice water holding hard-fighting char it would be a shame not to fish it all. Make

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GETAWAY FLY FISHING 2017 / 2018

FLY TO: Sisimiut via Copenhagen, Denmark.

TYPICAL ITINERARY: Day 1: Arrival in Copenhagen, stay at hotel.

Day 2: Morning flight to Sisimiut via Kangerlussuaq, transfer to Hotel Sisimiut, afternoon sight seeing in town or relax at the hotel.

Day 3: Boat transfer to camp, fishing the rest of the day.

Day 4-9: Six days (and nights) of fishing.

Day 10: Boat transfer to Hotel Sisimiut, farewell dinner.

Day 11: Morning flight back to Copenhagen.

PRICE: From around EUR 3500 including flights from Copenhagen.

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GRE EN L A N D

A our

fly fishing trip to Greenland is a trip into uspoilt nature. It’s unspoilt because there are strict rules on what operators like us are allowed to build. We must dismantle the entire camp when the short season but we still do our best to make sure our guests are have a pleasant stay and can concentrate on the fishing. We have a chef in camp that will make sure you are well fed to cover plenty of water every day.

CAMPS

We have generators in all camps so we can store fresh food (and our guests can recharge their camera batteries if needed). Of course, we don’t have running water but for those who find the river a bit cold for washing off (we can’t blame them), it’s possible to heat water instead.

For most of our guests, the camp life becomes a big part of the trip and many great stories – and one or two good bottles of Scotch – has been told and shared around the camp fire.

AT CAMP ERFALIK there is a small hut to rest in and for eating dinner, plus a primitive toilet shack. Guests sleep in their own tent and on a sleeping mat (of best quality), but you must bring your own sleeping bag.

The camp is located by the river mouth, and a few hun16

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Camp Erfalik

The (not so) secret path to a neighbouring river at Camp Erfalik.

Camp North

dred meters from camp the river runs through a lake, where we have a boat anchored. The boat is used for group transport to the upper river in the mornings and evenings, but it is also possible to walk up there at other times.

Furthermore, there are several good fishing spots near the lakes, and it is also possible to walk to the neighbouring river with fantastic fishing in 1½ to 2 hours.

AT CAMP NORTH we have a really big tent to stay in and for eating dinner together, as well as a separate toilet tent.

Like on Erfalik, guests sleep in their own tent and quality sleeping mats.

As a special bonus, Camp North can sometimes have incredible fishing in the fjord itself. Exactly like sea trout fishing off the coast in norther Europe we have had some truly crazy action for the searun chars, even with foam flies! If you hit it on the perfect tide you will sometimes have big schools of chars following your fly – something that probably has to be seen to be believed.

AT CAMP SOUTH, the accommodation is the same as in Camp North. A large expedition tent holds both the open kitchen and tables to enjoy your dinner after a long day of fishing.

Camp North puts greater demands on physical condition and willingness to walk distances than Erfalik. Frequently, good fishing starts after a 40-45 minute hike upstream from the camp. If you want the full benefit of the area, you should at least – one or several times during the week – trek an additional hour or more up the tributary, which has quite a different character.

The camp is not far from the river mouth and good fishing is reachable within a short hike. Like at Camp Erfalik it is also possible to walk to the neighbouring river. At Camp South you won’t have to cross any lakes and once you get further up the terrain you’ll experience a beautiful and quiet flat tundra area. In this more slowly running part of the river, we’ve had amazing char fishing – often skating foam flies but sometimes even sight fishing the chars with nymphs.

In addition we have a boat ready in the lake, which is about an hour’s walk from camp, for easier access to the upper river, where the fishing also can be incredible.

ON ALL THREE CAMPS we hold the fishing concessions, meaning no one else are allowed to fish these incredible waters.

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GRE EN L A N D

GREENLAND PACKLIST

What & Why RODS: The go-to rod for Greenland: 9’ #6 rod with a fighting butt Possible back up rods 9’ #5 or 9’ #7 rods

butt. The 6 wt. handles big flies on a windy day, but it still has enough feeling to make a delicate presentation when heading for some of the smaller creeks. The fighting butt is a great help when you need to put that extra pressure on a fresh-run fish.

REELS: #5-7 reel with 100 m 30 lb braid backing

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE your wading boots – you will be doing a fair amount of hiking when fishing in Greenland, and you’ll need a good pair of boots to keep your feet happy. What’s essential is to bring boots that fit you well. Also, consider Vibram soles.

We prefer these, because they provide you with great traction on the Greenland shorelines. Another tip is to bring neoprene socks equivalent to those on your waders. This way you can easily convert your wading boots into nice hiking boots for a long walk on a warm day.

LINES: #5-7 floating weight forward lines LEADERS: Tapered leaders - 14-18 lb 0,25-0,33 mm tippet material - 10-16 lb ACCESSORIES: Waterproof backpack Pliers Hook sharpener Sunglasses Mosquito net

WITH ALL THE hiking and fishing you’ll be doing, optimal clothes are crucial for your personal comfort. The weather oftentimes changes rather suddenly and – as a result - you should come prepared for most conditions. Also, keep in mind that Greenland can offer anything from 20+ Celsius during the day to below 0 Celsius during the night. We recommend layered clothing, which make it easy to adjust your core temperature according to whether you are walking or standing relatively still fishing – and to tackle changing weather conditions. Layering is one of the key elements in staying comfortable, and keeping moisture off your body with a quality base layer will make your trip a whole lot better.

CLOTHING: Waders Wading boots Neoprene socks Wading jacket Layering Cap Beanie Buff Gloves THE CHAR RUN BIG in Greenland and you will need a fly rod with some backbone to effectively tame them.

As a go-to rod we like a fast 6 wt. rod with a fighting

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FINALLY, MAKE SURE you have a mosquito net to pull over your cap and head. If the wind drops there can be lots of small flies around. They don’t bite, but a mosquito net pulled over your head makes the fishing much more enjoyable.

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GREENLAND

the flies

Foam flies are favourites of ours – simply because the surface action in Greenland is so spectacular. These flies stay effectively afloat through the fast and turbulent currents, even when using the heavier but more durable fluorocarbon leaders. For visibility, brightly coloured foam back is preferred, but make sure to bring a varied selection of foam flies – for instance in orange, purple and pink. Sometimes one colour is superior to all others.

We have clients who visit our camps with nothing but foam flies in their fly boxes, but there will be plenty of opportunities to experiment with different flies.

Pink, red, purple and orange flies are good starting points, and fairly large streamers in bright colours are considered char classics.

Besides the standard attractor flies, small and basic streamers can be very effective at times when the char seem to reject the larger patterns.

We try to fish these rivers with the least possible impact. Therefore, we only allow the use of single barbless hooks. A single hook effectively hooks the fish and it is great for catch and release.

Even nymphs have found their way into our Greenland fly boxes. We use heavily weighted nymph-style flies on long leaders in the deeper parts of the rivers if the surface action for some reason should fail.

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B RI T I SH C OL UMB IA

British Columbia STEELHEAD HEAVEN ...if you know the gatekeeper

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BRI TI S H C OL UM B I A

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B RI T I SH C OL UMB IA

intro It probably sounds like just another cliché when we claim that steelheading has become a lifestyle for Kim Jørgensen, our Destination Manager at Getaway Fly Fishing.

Anyone who has ever met Kim will know, however, that it isn’t – but the story behind this man’s dedication and addiction to British Columbia’s iconic anadromous rainbow trout isn’t an enviable one.

Back in 2000, Kim broke his arm in a work accident.

It could have happened to anyone, no big drama there. The healing process, however, didn’t go quite as planned and eventually another operation was necessary. It turned out the first operation hadn’t been done quite right and by now things were already going – and bones growing – in a wrong direction. To cut a several years long, and very frustrating, story short, Kim eventually followed the advice of the doctors and decided on an operation that almost locked up his wrist – in return for reducing growing shoulder pains and the need for painkillers. Unfortunately, part of this trade off was that it became difficult for Kim to fish a singlehanded fly rod.

Kim was simply taken a back by the experience, and the best thing was that his locked up wrist posed no limitations when fishing a double-handed rod.

Now, the better part of this story slowly starts to unfold: During the last eleven years Kim has gone all-in with the double-hander, first and foremost on steelhead but also on bright king salmon in BC and Chile, sea-run browns in Argentina and Atlantic salmon in Canada and Newfoundland.

Today, his work at Getaway Fly Fishing is all about developing our so-called spey-destinations: Destinations for like-minded anglers that dream about swinging flies with double-handed fly rods for anadromous trout and salmon.

This amounts to a lot a fishing time - four to six weeks in British Columbia alone, and Getaway are now reaping the rewards of having Kim roam free over there for years.

There is no substitute for time spent on the river banks when is comes to sniffing out the best...

– That was a hard blow. At that time I had started working with Getaway and great fishing opportunities had come up. And suddenly I had to accept that I couldn’t take full advantage of them, says Kim. Never one for feeling sorry for himself, Kim luckily found a way out of this frustrating situation.

– Some years after my accident, I got into steelhead fishing. I had always been fascinated with Atlantic salmon and fished Norway quite a bit during my younger years but I had lost interest as the fishing prices went up while the fishery rapidly went down. Back then, we were still sending a lot of anglers sturgeon fishing in British Columbia and when one of the guides revealed to me that he personally preferred swinging flies for steelhead – and that I was welcome to come join him after the sturgeon season – I jumped at the chance.

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There is no substitute for time spent on the river banks when is comes to sniffing out the best deals and hot spots on classified waters in modern steelhead fishing. For more than a decade Getaway Fly Fishing (in the shape of our one-man-steelhead-army, Mr. Jørgensen) has fished every major steelhead river – and most of their tributaries – in BC’s steelhead mecca, the Skeena Region. The majority of the really attractive weeks on these classified rivers are booked by the same group of anglers year after year (all the other weeks are booked by those that don’t know any better). Every now and then a week will open up – and if you know most of the guides, the lodge owners and the waitress at the coffee shop you might hear about it before anyone else. Then you snap it up right away and add it to the Getaway Fly Fishing program.

If you’re Kim Jørgensen, that is.

The guy, who is also known as the Getaway Steelhead Broker.

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Getaway Fly Fishing’s Kim Jørgensen smiling about steelhead number 732 (or thereabouts), caught in British Columbia over the last ten years.

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B RI T I SH C OL UMB IA

swinging for

STEELHEAD

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verything about swinging flies with a double-handed rod - from the constant awareness of how the river flows, the casting and the focus on controlling the line to making the fly pass through the lie at the perfect speed – feels amazing. And once a big fish hits your fly and you feel the sudden tug and weight – it’s simply magical! It’s a moment that is nearly impossible to describe: A special feeling that makes you crave for more. You just have to go – again, and again! Swinging flies with a double-hander is nothing short of addictive.

scenery there is stunning: The golden colours during autumn and the snow-capped mountains – it’s not just something that exists on postcards. It’s there in real life as well. Unlike the great salmon fishing I had been reading so much about, most of the steelhead fantasies actually seemed to come true once I found the right rivers and went there at the right time. In fact, throughout my years in BC, I frequently found rivers that offered way better fishing than the general perception of that particular river gave me reason to believe. I mean; some of the truly great steelhead fishing, that is said to be gone forever, is actually still there.

WHY STEELHEAD? In Europe, the common cure for the double-hand addiction has traditionally been Atlantic salmon. For centuries, European anglers have swung their flies across northern rivers in the hopes of getting hit. Unfortunately, the population of Atlantic salmon in Europe has dramatically diminished. We simply haven’t been managing our rivers very well, and as a result – as Getaway’s Kim Jørgensen explains – this has led many salmon fishermen to cross the Atlantic in search for steelhead:

In BC, they really care about the fish - not only the anglers, but the authorities and the government too. Fish stock management is taken very seriously. A long time ago, they realised how much damage too much commercial fishing and exploitation of the rivers could do. And nowadays, this has translated into strict regulations and catch & release fishing for steelhead.

– I had been salmon fishing in Norway for many years before I ever discovered steelhead. Along the way, salmon fishing had turned more and more into a lottery: A pricy one!

The number of fish in the rivers was continuously dropping while the cost of fishing these rivers kept going in the other direction. Still, if you have an itch then you have to scratch it.

I had been reading, and dreaming, about Canadian steelhead for years, and as the chances of success with the two-hander got slimmer in Europe, I had to go and look elsewhere.

What it also means is that in BC it is possible to find rivers that still live up to their full carrying capacity of wild steelhead. Think about that for a minute: It means that the natural maximum stock of steelhead is present in many rivers!

For the fly angler, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the rivers are packed with gigantic steelhead – what it means is that you can find steelhead where they are supposed to be – and that is a really attractive starting point for both skilled and novice steelheaders. To fish for steelhead is a challenge – but if you pay attention and learn, you will catch fish. This generally isn’t the case with salmon in Europe anymore. Even the most skilled salmon anglers frequently return empty-handed.

– What I found in British Columbia was amazing. The

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B RI T I SH C OL UMB IA

What began as a substitute for salmon fishing, rapidly turned into a very commanding passion in its own right.

Being out there in the breath-taking Canadian wilderness with dedicated fishing guides at our side, fly fishing for chromed-up monster sea-run rainbow trout turned out to be worthy of obsession. The test fishing ended up being a pointof-no-return.

Our Getaway steelhead fishing is not about numbers, it is about the overall experience. That being said, we’ve had less than 1% of our clients returning from BC without catching a steelhead, which is phenomenal. This is partly due to the potential of the fishing and partly due to the fact that we have spent years getting access to the right rivers at the right time.

STEELHEAD VS ATLANTIC SALMON Among fly anglers, who like to chase anadromous species, fly fishing for steelhead is generally recognised as being comparable with fishing for Atlantic salmon. There are, however, quite a few differences. Destination Manager Kim Jørgensen explains: – One of the most significant differences between Altan-

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tic salmon and steelhead is the timing of the migratory runs.

In Europe, we always talk about a specific salmon season, because even though there is variation in terms of the length and timing of the salmon migrations, they roughly occur within one period.

It’s a bit more complicated when it comes to steelhead.

Many rivers have two runs: A winter run and a summer run.

The two runs even have variations, and for a lot of rivers it would have been more appropriate to call them spring runs and an autumn runs instead. And it’s not the same steelhead going back and forth twice a year. It’s two different strains of steelhead.

Winter runs typically peak in March and April – sometimes as early as February. The winter-run steelhead are very business-oriented and, oftentimes, they leave the rivers after a mere 3-6 weeks. This means that most rivers don’t have any steelhead in them during the month of May, says Kim. – Summer-runs tend to stretch over a longer period of time. The main run and the traditional steelhead season peaks in August and September, and the majority of all American steelheaders end their season in mid-October. However, some of our carefully selected rivers have great runs all the way into

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November. The summer-run steelhead behaviour is similar to that of anadromous salmon and seatrout in Europe, as these fish stay in the river during most of the winter, explains Kim. The different runs are probably Nature’s way of protecting the fish, and for the local fly fisherman, who can venture out whenever the weather is right – it practically means yearround steelhead fishing.

Steelhead don’t grow to the same size as Atlantic salmon, but what they lack in size, the steelhead more than make up for in strength and power. Steelhead seem to have a bit more temper and pound for pound you’ll find more spark and power swimming the BC rivers compared to Northern Europe. A fresh run 20lb steelhead would outrun a 20lb Atlantic salmon any day.

FISHING STEELHEAD Compared to fishing for salmon, steelheading is – again - different. Surely, it involves the lovely act of swinging a fly crosscurrent, but looking back at more than 700 steelhead caught, Kim has a few essential tips to share: – Since you are not limited to a small stretch of a river

or a specific beat, when fishing in BC, I wouldn’t recommend anyone to go steelheading without a guide. Compared to our well-known salmon rivers back home, we generally have access to much more water in BC and on most rivers, our licens-

That being said, we’ve had less than 1% of our clients returning from BC without catching a steelhead which is phenomenal. es cover areas of 30-60 kilometres. Some of our well-known salmon rivers don’t even hold fish for so many kilometres!

That’s why the guides use jet boats, or rafts in places where jet boats aren’t allowed. Imagine yourself standing on a riverbank

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with 25 fishable kilometres of river downstream and more or less the same amount of water upstream – not really knowing where and how to begin. That’s where a guide becomes really valuable. Besides their knowledge about how to fish for steel-

In my experience, the traditional American approach to steelhead fishing over-complicates things. head, they know the river and they’ll get you to the spots that most likely hold fish during your stay.

Steelheading is a bit more technical than salmon fishing.

However, with all the literature written on salmon fishing you would be forgiven for thinking it was the other way round. In order to succeed with steelhead, you need to control your fly.

When fishing for salmon we usually think that speed is good,

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especially when the water temperatures are rising. Despite the displays of raw power once hooked, steelhead approach our flies more carefully. They also seem to prefer slightly bigger flies than Atlantic salmon do. This is part of the reason why Skagit lines and sink tips have gained so much in popularity when it comes to steelhead fishing.

Of course, there are exceptions to these rules. For instance, just look at the increasing focus on skating surface flies for steelhead – you won’t need a sink tip for that. Just like with salmon, there are certain times when steelhead are very surface orientated, and not only during summer.

I’ve caught steelhead on surface flies when it was snowing, reveals Kim. – The challenge and learning process is all part of the game, so don’t forget – if you’re adaptive and focused on learning you’ll catch fish. I’m still learning after all these years, and I don’t think I will ever be fully educated. It’s not that steelhead fishing is rocket science. It isn’t!

In my experience, the traditional American approach to steelhead fishing over-complicates things. I remember reading literature on steelhead, written by- and for Americans. A lot of their thoughts and theories were almost unrecognisable to me when I started visiting the famous steelhead rivers. We Europeans – with our background in seatrout and salmon fishing, have a very different approach to steelhead fishing

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and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. No matter what, you’re likely to adapt effortlessly if you are already an experienced salmon angler, says Kim.

each river - that fish well at certain times during the season.

The reason is that things are constantly changing due to the weather, snowfall during the winter months, glacier melt off etc.

While some aspects of traditional steelhead fishing are based on single-handed fly rods, we strongly recommend using double-handers all the way.

In our opinion, you stand a much better chance of success when using a double-hander. If you are not familiar with double-handers we strongly advise you to do your homework and learn the basic casts before arriving in BC. The guides will gladly help you’re completely new to the game, but it will probably end up being the most expensive casting lessons you’ll ever get.

And that is just the basic stuff. Once you know where to go, another question arises: How do you get access? We all know that the best fishing isn’t open to everyone, right? We all know somebody who knew somebody, that knew this guy who had the right connections... and could fish places, others couldn’t. It has been like that forever: Connections, family, tradition, friendship, trust and money all matter. It then shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that it is exactly the same with steelhead rivers. Sure, you can DIY-fish some of the rivers.

But before you do, you have to ask yourself the famous question: Do you feel lucky?

Before you do, you have to ask yourself the famous question: Do you feel lucky?

FINDING THE BEST STEELHEAD WATERS Similar to chasing Atlantic salmon across Northern Europe, finding the right river in BC at the right time isn’t easy. It takes time to learn what rivers - and even which specific parts of

After eleven years of steelhead exploration in BC, Getaway’s steelhead broker, Kim, has some insights to offer in this regard:

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B RI T I SH C OL UMB IA – At the moment, I honestly think we offer the best possible steelhead fishing at the best possible price. Over the years, we have grown a solid reputation that can get us rods on almost any steelhead river. The biggest challenge right now is to get enough rods to meet the demand from our clients throughout the season. More and more European double-handed fanatics want to go steelheading, and once they’ve been over here, a lot of them don’t ever look back, says Kim. As with salmon fishing in Europe, there are several hyped rivers and lodges in BC. In some places you’re looking at $9.000 for a week, but don’t be mistaken. The fishing, however, isn’t necessarily better just because of the snazzy price tag. The food and lodging will be – but if fine wining and dining isn’t necessarily your thing, we can probably put you on steelhead fishing that is equally good at half the price. Our main focus has always been the best possible fishing for the money.

travelling to

BRITISH COLUMBIA SEASON: March-November.

FLY TO: Terrace via Vancouver.

When we began our BC steelhead adventure more than a decade ago we started a small-scale cooperation with a single local operator, fishing only a few weeks per season. Since then, we’ve spent so much time fishing in BC that we are now widely connected, and – as a consequence – we get offered more and more great steelhead weeks. It has taken a lot of time, a lot of talking, a lot of coffee and a lot of fishing to reach that level trust. Remember, we’re talking classified rivers, where the lodge owners or local operators have lots of money tied up in their rod licenses. Getting access to quality wild steelhead rivers is not for everybody. There are lots of readily accessible steelhead rivers, but there you’ll most likely be fishing for hatchery fish.

Local steelhead regulations and rules are complex and the fishing is spread out across huge areas. We do most of our fishing in the Skeena and Nass watersheds and these two areas alone covers more than 75.000 km2. The regulations have been designed to protect the steelhead on the one hand and the local guiding businesses on the other. And as a non-Canadian resident you can only get four days of fishing per week on most classified rivers – and you don’t necessarily get to pick the dates yourself.

When picking out the right time for your steelhead trip, you must ask yourself the eternal anadromous-fishing-question: Would you like to go when the river holds the most fish, or are you into chasing that fish of a life-time: One of those indomitable, chromed up monsters?

By now, you probably have even more questions about steelhead fishing than to start out with. And, luckily, we’re happy to provide you with all the answers - simply give us a call! We do both hosted trips with experienced tour guides and individual trips. Call us, and we will come up with a trip itinerary that suits your needs perfectly.

TYPICAL ITINERARY: Day 1: Departure from Europe and arrival in Terrace. Transfer to the lodge.

Day 2-7: Six full days of fishing.

Day 8: Transfer to Terrace for the domestic flight to Vancoucer and onwards to your final destination.

PRICE: From around EUR 2700 for tent camps and EUR 3400 for a lodge – without flights.

Kings of the SKEENA While most of our clients prefer fishing for steelhead, we also offer fly fishing for king salmon in BC. Since the local fishermen can bring home a few salmon for the kitchen, the hotspots can sometimes get a bit crowded – but the fishing can be really good too. A fresh-run, monster king salmon will take you into your backing like nothing you’ve ever hooked before. Please contact us if huge and very strong king salmon are on your bucket list. Each year, we have a few groups heading for BC with nothing but salmon on their minds.

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B RI T I SH C OL UMB IA

B. C. PACKLIST

What & Why RODS: The go-to rods for steelhead: 13-14’ #7 or #8 double-handed rods REELS: #9-10 reels with 200 m 30 lb backing LINES: 450-600 grain Skagit or Scandi shooting heads (and running lines) to match your rod 15 ft exchangeable tips ranging from slow to fast sinking + T11, T-14 and T-17 LEADERS: 4-9 ft tapered leaders - 20 lb 0.30-0.40 mm tippet material - 15-20 lb ACCESSORIES: Waterproof backpack Pliers Hook sharpener Sunglasses Measuring tape CLOTHING: Waders Wading boots Wading jacket Layering Cap Beanie Buff Gloves

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IT IS POSSIBLE TO FIND beats suited for single hand rods, but both we and our trusted guides strongly recommend only bringing two-handed rods for the BC steelhead fishing. You will fish much more efficient with a 13 or 14-footer. Our universal steelhead tool is a 13’ #8 rod, but it’s partly a matter of personal taste.

When rivers are low in the summer, a lighter rod can be a joy – and when fishing the larger rivers, a longer and more powerful rod can possibly cover more water and help controlling your line.

SKAGIT LINES and a selection of T-tips – or a multitip Scandi set-up is the best way to handle the different fishing situations. Some places you might need to fish your fly slow and deep, while other spots call for top water action and skating flies. The Skagit lines are developed for big sinking flies and exactly this kind of rivers, but if you’re not familiar with Skagit casting, you might do just as well with a multitip Scandi line.

Being able to adjust is the key.

WHEN DRESSING UP for your steelhead trip, our best advice is to be prepared for all kinds of weather. In the mountains the climate changes rapidly, and while you might be to fish comfortably in your favorite shirt at noon, you probably wouldn’t want to be without your warm gloves and beanie on the morning boat ride.

The good news is that technical clothing has never been more breathable, warmer or lighter. Even very warm jackets packs down to nothing these days, and some extra clothing could be just the right thing to keep spirits high on a tough day. No matter what time of the year you go – make sure to keep warm and dry when travelling to BC!

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BRITISH COLUMBIA

the flies Several books have been written about steelhead flies. While some of the many flies resemble traditional salmon flies, some patterns and specific styles of flies are more unique to steelhead fishing. This is the case with the popular Intruder type of flies tied on shanks followed by a replaceable trailer hook.

Don’t be afraid of bringing European tube flies. A light tube fly is actually what we prefer. We use the same single hooks and connect them to a loop on our tippet. The loop stops from passing through the fly, when the knot meets the inner tube. This clever setup makes it possible to control the position of the hook.

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Small, big, light or heavy – no matter the size, steelhead just loves a touch of colors like pink, orange, magenta and purple.

Skating flies for steelhead will make your heart stop, and it’s a small wonder why surface fishing for steelhead has increased in popularity. Steelhead will rise for skating flies more often than one should think, and though they can be extremely tricky to hook, this foam fly has been very successful.

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Chile chrome-bright

AUSTRAL KINGS

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intro travelling to

CHILE

W

SEASON: January-April. hat can we tell you about the Austral Kings fishery in Chile that isn’t already mentioned in the well-written article by Matt Harris on the following pages? Well, we can’t think of much.

What we can tell you is this: It was a very exciting chapter in the history of our company when we teamed up with Argentinian twins Alex and Nico Trochine and launched this new destination worldwide in 2016.

Following a short but highly successful exploratory season, where our 23 anglers landed more than 200 king salmon averaging 30lbs, it wasn’t difficult to fully book the 2017 season. Unfortunately, as the 2017 season is coming to an end, we have also experienced that fishing for these big kings can be tough.

According to locals living by the river, this year’s number of returning king salmon was the lowest in many years. Combine that with extreme weather conditions and unusually high water levels and even the best fly fishermen had to work hard for a bite. Eventually, the river showed its true potential again and we ended at more or less the same number of fish landed as in 2016 - but by twice as many anglers.

We’re hopeful that the 2018-season will be the best ever.

And as long as there’s a chance of hooking up with a chromebright monster, fly anglers will be longing to come back to this magnificent fishery. Even the anglers, who fished through the toughest weeks of 2017, have already secured their spots for next year!

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FLY TO: Puerto Montt via Santiago, Chile.

TYPICAL ITINERARY: Day 1: Arrival in Puerto Montt, stay at hotel.

Day 2: Early morning transfer to camp via private transfer service and boat. Arrival at lunch, fish the nearby pools in the afternoon.

Day 3-8: Six days of guided fishing.

Day 9: Fish nearby pools for half a day before you depart for Puerto Montt. Stay at hotel.

Day 10: Depart Puerto Montt for Santiago where you will catch your return flight home.

PRICE: From around EUR 5150 without flights and hotel in Puerto Montt.

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the Kings of

PATAGONIA

BY MATT HARRIS

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CHI LE – AUS T R A L K I NGS

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I

MAGINE A RIVER where the salmon’s average size is bigger than those on any river you know. Bigger on average than those of the Kharlovka, the Cascapedia, the mighty Yokanga....even Norway’s legendary Alta

herself.

Where the glacier-studded scenery is perhaps even more astonishing, and where the salmon can empty a reel in about fifteen seconds flat.

Imagine a river that costs less for a week than a day’s fishing on the Alta. A valley where you will see almost nobody but your team, your guides and the camp staff, and where you will be amongst the first to throw a line.

It gets better.

You can fish this river in the depths of the northern winter, but the sun will shine and you will fish in shirt sleeves and drink icy beer to celebrate your first thirty pounder.

I know what you’re thinking: I’ve swallowed too much scotch.Wrong. This place really exists. I’ve been there.

DEEP IN THE HEART of Chilean Patagonia, two glacially fed rivers cascade off of the high Andean ramparts before tumbling into the gleaming waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The salmon that run them are Chinook salmon, and they dwarf most Atlantics in terms of their size and power. First introduced in the 1970’s to sustain a half- forgotten ranching program, these brutish fish have colonised the entire south Pacific coast from Temuco to The Magellan straits, and even around Cape Horn and into the Atlantic.

If you have an issue with the fish not being native to their environment, then go ahead and strike this remarkable fishery off of your wish list. But don’t forget to strike New Zealand’s peerless trophy trout and Tierra del Fuego’s monster sea-run Browns off too. Make no mistake; these fish are not escapees from a farm. They have been running and breeding in the Chilean rivers for close on half a century, and they are here to stay.

The Chinook are regularly caught in many Chilean rivers with heavy-duty spinning gear, but in most of the rivers they have colonised, they colour up and lose condition before they reach waters narrow and shallow enough to make them a legitimate fly rod target.

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Imagine 30, 40, 50 and potentially even 60 pounds and more of solidchrome-silver muscle barrelling downstream and emptying that precious reel in little more than the time it takes to dream it.

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Not here. In this stunningly beautiful valley, they can be caught just a mile or two upstream of the tide, and when they are still ocean-bright and chrome, they pack a formidable punch.

THE FISHING ISN’T EASY. These fish aren’t as grabby as fresh Atlantics, sea-run Browns or steelhead, and you have to get the fly right down in front of them to get a response.

You’re typically fishing in deep, heavy flows, often throwing a long line and making multiple mends to swing the fly down through the deepest part of the pool. Don’t even think of coming here unless you are comfortable throwing super-heavy tips and big flies a long way. Add in the fact that fresh Chinook need overcast conditions and coloured water to really get interested in taking a fly - not always a given in the high, ozone-depleted summer of the Southern Hemisphere - and

you have a serious challenge on your hands. But let me tell you about the rewards...

Imagine 30, 40, 50 and potentially even 60 pounds and more of solid, chrome-silver muscle barrelling downstream and emptying that precious reel in little more than the time it takes to dream it.

Better still, picture that same titanic fish clambering into a high-flying cartwheel that would make a tarpon blush. Unlike their northern cousins, these southern kings are, on occasion, spectacular acrobats, and a huge, chromed-up Chinook cartwheeling around an emerald-green pool buttressed by the soaring, snow-capped peaks of the Andes is a sight you won’t soon forget.

Finally, and perhaps most fortunately of all, not all of

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these leviathans empty your reel. Some are dour, dogged fighters, and considering their sometimes almost absurd size, I’m almost ashamed to admit that these are actually the ones that I pray for. If you hook a real behemoth – one of fifty pounds and more – that is determined to go back to the sea, you really have very little hope, although if you jump into the boat in double-quick time and get after it, you may just get lucky. It’s the fish that don’t head back to the sea that give you half a chance. If that 50 pounder starts pushing steadily upstream, you are in business.

seatrout of Tierra del Diego can’t hold a candle to the sheer brute strength - and size - of the huge chinook that run the stunningly beautiful river that angles out of this remote corner of Chilean Patagonia. Having experienced both, I can confirm that it’s not even a contest. Chinook are simply the biggest, strongest anadramous fish on the planet.

If that 50 pounder starts pushing steadily upstream you are in business.

LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT about the guys who discovered this remarkable fishery.

Alex and Nico Trochine are twins. Until Alex shaved his beard off, I would have struggled to tell them apart. The Trochines are instantly likeable. Their eyes sparkle with enthusiasm and they are both devastatingly talented flyfishermen.

The brothers hail from Bariloche in Argentina, and they have fished and guided up and down South America. They both declare that their latest discovery is the most exciting fishery they’ve ever come across. According to Nico, even the fabled

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The rivers took some discovering. The twins explored far and wide along the Pacific coast before finally pay dirt. They fished any number of Chinook-stuffed rivers that were simply not suited to fly-fishing before they found their “Eldorado’, travelling a huge distance in the process.

Although the Trochines have secured exclusive rights to fish the rivers, they are keen to keep the exact location of the rivers a secret for fear of poaching, but I can tell you that they are as remote and as beautiful as any salmon river I have ever clapped eyes on. It takes a long car ride followed by an even longer ferry ride to access the fishery, but every last minute of the long trek from Puerto Montt is worth it. The scenery alone will take your breath away, and the magnificence and power of the fish simply defies description.

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SO HOW TO TACKLE THESE huge chrome leviathans?

Be warned. The fishing is tough. Be prepared for long hours without action, but when those big silver flanks come rolling into the pool, fish hard, and you may just find yourself attached to a monster. As someone relatively new to Chinook, I appointed Nico and my old friend and Nico’s fellow guide Mariano Weinstein, along with Skeena Chinook maestros Derek Barber and Kim Jørgensen as my personal Chinook gurus. They all counselled to fish big flashy flies down deep, and to show the fish the fly “side on”. This means that mends have to be precise and decisive, so that the fly swings square to the current, while staying low and flow in the water column.

Like Chinook further north, in British Columbia and Alaska, the fish seem to have a predilection for big, sparkling tube-flies. I used classic Chinook patterns like Stinger Prawns and Mega-Intruders in Fuscia and Orange, Chartreuse and Blue or all Chartreuse, but others did equally well fishing with simple Prom Dress style patterns in high-key colours, especially the classic Blue and Chartreuse. The key is lots of flash in coloured water and none when the water clears. Fish with heavy-duty 2/0 hooks like the Owner SSW and check regularly that your hook-point is needle sharp.

I’ll be honest. At first, I struggled. Despite the fact that the fish seem to hold in the deepest parts of the pools, I found that my normal ‘down and dirty tactic of fishing with an ultra-short leader didn’t work - perhaps the fish were spooked by the fly-line in the ultra-clear water. After chatting with Kim, who has over 800 Chinook to his name, I lengthened up from 4 to around 8 feet of stout fluorocarbon - 30lb Seaguar, which

has proved its remarkable abrasion resistance time and again on the big trophy Atlantic salmon rivers of northern Russia.

I also took Kim’s advice and switched to a less heavily weighted fly, despite my instinctive desire to get the fly-fishing as quickly as possible. I was still fishing 15 feet of T20, but suddenly, perhaps because of the extra life engendered by the longer Leader and lighter fly, I started to get more interest.

MY NEXT LESSON was in setting the hook. Takes can be anything from a gradual ‘heaviness’ in the line right through to the classic tap, tap, boom. Don’t be in a rush to set the hook, but once you’re happy that the fish is ‘on’, set the hook firmly. Very firmly.

Fishing for Atlantics, you can expect a good hook-hold in the scissors simply by holding tight and letting the fish hook itself. These big Chinook have tougher bonier mouths, and even those razor-sharp 2/0 Owner SSW’s can fall out if you don’t drive them home positively. I lost the first two fish I hooked - both hefty fish of 30lbs plus - and in hindsight, I’m convinced I didn’t set the hook hard enough. It’ was a tough lesson to learn when you know the next fish may be hours or even days away.

Here’s the drill. Don’t snatch the fly away from the first “tap,tap” enquiry. Wait until the fish has decisively taken the fly and turned away. Sweep the rod sharply in towards the bank, and you should drive the hook in. Once your fish is well hooked, don’t stand around admiring your handy work.

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C H I L E – A U STR A L K IN GS Hooking these vast beasts is the easy part. Get downstream of the fish as quickly as you can. If you can make the fish fight both your 10 weight and the current, then maybe, just maybe, you have a chance. But only a chance.

Kim Jørgensen was spooled by a huge fish, and every member of our group had a “Harry Hard-luck” story or two about monsters that went rampaging downriver and got away.

That said, we all managed to put fish of over 30lbs on the grass, with the best fish weighing in at just under 50lbs. The previous week, experienced Skeena guide Derek Barber managed two chrome-silver fish of 45 and 50 pounds, and a local handyman at the local estancia described fish of eye-popping dimensions that bottomed out 66-pound scales.

Don’t be in a rush to set the hook, but once you’re happy that the fish is on set the hook firmly.

Very firmly.

THE KEY IS TO BE PATIENT and fish hard. When the fish come in on the tide, there is little to slow them down, so don’t miss your chance by drinking coffee or snoozing on the bank get that fly in front of them before they go charging upstream.

The fishing demands long hours of concentration, and you need to be casting a long line consistently and accurately if you want to maximise your chances. Thankfully, the camp is the perfect place to unwind. Anglers are based in large and extremely comfortable tents just a few short yards from the river, with hot showers and a communal dining tent that was always, on our week at least, full of banter and camaraderie.

The simple but delicious locally sourced food is excellent, and there is always plenty of ice-cold beer or fortifying Chilean ‘tinto’ on hand to celebrate the latest behemoth.

The fish are most active when the sun is off the water, and the Trochines have designed the fishing hours to reflect this trait. Anglers are ferried up and down river by boat at first light, and fish until noon. After enjoying a delicious lunch and a good long siesta they return to the river around 5pm to fish until dark.

AT THE END OF MY TRIP, I was left with a million very special memories. Stunningly beautiful mornings, racing upstream through the mist in the Zodiac, as the sun started to peep between the colossal mountains that flanked the river.

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Taking a rare break to drink Maté with Nico and Mariano, and chatting amiably about big fish caught and lost. Exploring way upstream on foot, beating through the thick brush and wading into waters that had perhaps never seen a fly before. Sipping single malt and gazing up at the sight of a million stars twinkling in the clear southern skies above, you’ll know that you are in a very special place.

I remembered the long hours of patient cast and step, and those special times when the fish came barrelling upstream and grabbed our flies with uncharacteristic abandon.

Swedish spey-casting wizard Bengt clutching his 45 pound brute with a boyish gleam in his eyes, and Thomas Svenson grinning from ear to ear as he cradled a thirty pounder for a quick picture. I remembered Kim, shell-shocked and bewildered as he reeled back 350 yards of backing after a monster had all but spooled him, and the relatively modest but chrome-bright 25 pound fish that grabbed my big intruder on the last cast of the day, and went dancing into the last rays of the sun in a flurry of furious cartwheels.

My favourite memory came one cool, crisp morning, when, perhaps an hour or so before the sun cast its rays onto the gleaming turquoise waters, the fish suddenly came rolling into the pool. I managed to beach two hulking brutes of 28 and 35 pounds, perfect silver specimens, fresh from the ocean.

Both fish fought like tigers, and I should have been thrilled to bits, but all I can think about is the fish that head and tailed repeatedly in the pool while I was playing the second fish.

It was impossibly large – like some vast, chrome-plated dolphin, frolicking in the magical mists of the dawn. Surely the biggest salmon I have ever seen in my life. I don’t even dare to estimate its size. I briefly considered breaking the 28 pounder off to get a fly in front of it. It really was that big.

Every moment in this pristine wonderland was special, but perhaps more than anything, it’s that titanic fish that will drag me back.

Despite catching some magnificent fish, I wound up on that last morning knowing that I’d only really scratched the surface. With the possible exception of the formidable Skeena, this river really does offer the chance to hook – and perhaps land - a fish bigger than anything you are ever likely to hook anywhere in the world with a Spey rod in your hand.

And that includes the Alta.

I’ve got unfinished business with the Kings of Patagonia.

Matt Harris is known as one of the best fly fishing photographers in the business – and he usually catches a lot of big fish, too.

For the record, he did go back to Chile earlier this year – and he did land a number of very big, chrome-bright kings. Unfortunately, he still feels he has unfinished business there...

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C H I L E PA C K L I S T

What & Why RODS: The go-to rods for Chile: 13-15’ #8, 9 or 10 two-handed rods REELS: #10-12 reel with 400 m 50-80 lb braid backing LINES: 500-750 grain Skagit heads (floating and intermediate) with 15’ sinking tips in different sink rates, such as Sink6, T11, T-14 and T-17 LEADERS: Tapered leaders 35-45 lb 0,38-0,48 mm tippet material 30-44 lb ACCESSORIES: Pliers Hook sharpener Sunglasses LED headlamp CLOTHING: Waders Wading boots Wading jacket Layering Cap Buff

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A DOUBLE-HANDED eight, nine or ten-weight rod, usually 13-15 feet in length, is perfect for the job. The question of whether to choose the lighter 8-weight or the heavier 10-weight is a matter of personal taste and temper. Longer rods certainly allow for easier mending and line control, while shorter rods are lighter in the hand and offer a pokier weapon when fighting the fish.

THE FLY REEL must have a great drag system and hold at least 400 yards of 50-80lb backing. Bring spare backing! These fish can spool you, especially if you are slow in taking to the boat when the need suddenly arises. We recommend bringing both Intermediate and Floating Skagit lines to cover all pools and water conditions. If you were only going to bring one line, we would recommend a Floating/Intermediate Skagit line.

THE RIVER IS FULL OF sunken logs and many of the kings are simply unstoppable, so we recommend stout, reliable abrasion-resistant fluorocarbon leaders like Seaguar Ace with breaking strains of 30 to 44lbs.

Leaders will typically be anywhere from 2ft in coloured water right up to 15ft in ultra-clear conditions. Powerful leaders will even help you turn over the bigger flies.

OUR FISHING SEASON is during the Chilean summer and the weather is generally quite friendly. Anglers can look forward to 13-15 hours of daylight and most of the time; temperatures will be between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius. Due to its closeness to the marine environment you might experience occasional rain or fog. Even though you’ll be leaving Europe during winter, the clothing needed is very much like that used for salmon fishing during the summer in northern Europe. One important thing to remember though: wading is fairly easy and cleated boots with studs or spikes are forbidden – they ruin our aluminium boats!

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CHILE

the flies One of the fascinating things about Austral Kings is that the fishery is in its infancy, and the best techniques and fly patterns are yet to be fully established.

What we have found out during the first two seasons is that big, extremely flashy patterns or large intruders between 3 and 4 inches in length are successful in slightly coloured water.

Our favourite colour combinations are Blue/ Chartreuse and Fuscia Pink/Orange. Interestingly, unweighted or lightly-weighted flies often perform better than heavier patterns.

When the water is clearing up, Intruders with less flash work well, whereas once the river is completely clear, small conehead Frances and Snaelda patterns fished on longer leaders can be very effective.

The fish are big and extremely strong, so sturdy hooks are essential. We recommend that you fish tubes rather than shanks, as the wire loop on commercially tied Intruders may let you down. Employ ultra-strong hooks like the Owner SSW in sizes 1 to 3/0, and check all knots thoroughly.

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THE GETAWAY

Gear Guide

SMITH DOVER CP

We love the ChromaPop lenses on the Smith optics. On our trips, the view is generally spectacular, so why not ad just a little extra spark to it? Actually, the real reason is that these lenses bring more clarity to your vision. More clarity means more detail – and more detail means you spot more fish. We’ve had good times with the Dover frame, but take a closer look at the full Smith frame range before making your own choice.

WATERWORKS LAMSON SPEEDSTER

SIMMS DRY CREEK Z BACKPACK

100% waterproofness does not come cheap, but we really like to keep our gear dry. This daypack-sized Simms backpack is perfect for both Bahamas and Greenland. The waterproof zippers might not be as slick as your jeans, but when fishing - and crossing relatively deep water, you will appreciate how this backpack is designed: And the fact your lunch and camera are dry.

A big char just might take you into your backing, but a Bahamian bonefish certainly will. We definitely like the design, the smooth brake and low weight of the Waterworks Lamson Speedster models, but more importantly we like the large arbour and the narrow spool.

The fly line comes back on the reel fast and the line-lay is great.

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS BFT

We love fishing foam flies for char, and that is why we like the S.A. Big Fly Taper fly line. Not that the foam flies are that big, but if you want a fly line that effectively turns over a pretty bulky and wind resistant size 4 streamer – look no further! We enjoy lines that cast smoothly and the BFT does just that – it casts beautifully and with little effort. In fact, we are wondering why this fly line has not gained more reputation. It’s a little gem in the arsenal of floating fly lines!

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SCOTT RADIAN #6

The char run big in Greenland and you will need a fly rod with some backbone to handle them. The Scott Radian 6 wt. can handle big flies on a windy day and it still has enough feeling to make a delicate presentation when heading for some of the smaller creeks. The fighting butt is a great help when applying extra pressure on a fresh-run fish.

THE ONE AND ONLY – BUFF!

Sometimes, we wonder how we managed to go fly fishing before Buffs were available. Today, we wouldn’t be without them, and we use Buffs to protect us against both a blazing sun and a chilly breeze - even nasty bugs. The traditional Buff is a lifesaver during cold days on the river, while the silky High UV Coolmax models are a blessing in the salt. With several hundreds of different Buffs on the market, you might even find a Buff to improve your looks.

SIMMS G JACKETS

Even though you’ll probably experience beautiful sunny and cloudless days, it is pretty rare to come across a really warm week in Greenland, BC or Chile. You need a good wading jacket to keep you warm and dry. Simms have developed and fine-tuned their guide models through a long period of years, and today we won’t leave home without our sturdy and highly breathable G3 and G4 jackets. They offer all the comfort and pockets you need.

SIMMS G WADERS

Weather changes and streams run high and low. Since we spend most freshwater days in our waders – it comes as no surprise that we like the best there is.

The Simms G3 and G4 are guaranteed to keep you comfortable when walking and fishing hard and they come in so many sizes that there’s a perfect fit for everyone. Go for the Zipper version if you can afford it – besides the obvious male benefit you will enjoy the extra ventilation after a long walk.

SCOTT RADIAN DH

Most of our spey fishing belongs in the heavyweight league. Not necessarily in terms of the need for the biggest of fly rods – but definitely when it comes to handling powerful fish and large flies. The Scott Radian are light and very fast two-handed rods, and though mainly designed for Scandi-style spey casting, these rods will stand the abuse of heavy Skagit lines, sinking tips and weighted flies. Genuine power tools!

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Bahamas shallow water

BONEFISHING

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B A H AM A S – AC K LIN S IS LA N D

intro

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Then there is the third way: You’re at the bottom of a small bay, where the water is too deep for spotting any bones. However, where the bay ends, a little channel connects the bay with a shallow lagoon the size of three or four football fields – a place with a hard, light and sandy bottom. There is no one else in sight… your friends went in the other direction and you’ll meet them back at the point in a few hours.

onefish have a solid reputation for being the ultimate light tackle saltwater species.

Fly fishing legend, Lefty Kreh, even declared once, that if he was forced into choosing only one species in the world to fish with a fly rod – it had to be bonefish.

Bonefishing is all about the visuals. You look for bonefish, you spot the bonefish, you cast your fly, you look at your fly as you strip it, you watch the bonefish grab your fly – and you watch it take off, when you set the hook.

And shortly after, you’re likely to see a great deal of backing too. Bonefishing is sight fishing at its best.

Doing it underneath the Bahamian sun, surrounded by white, sandy flats and turquoise blue water, doesn’t make it worse either. Let us tell you about our way of bonefishing the Bahamas.

Three ways to catch a bonefish The guide poles the skiff while you’re looking for fish. You might spot the fish first but with him standing on the platform, it’s usually the other way around. He will direct your cast, then how to fish the fly. The bonefish eats and you set the hook. That’s one way – fish on!

The second way is to get out of the boat and wade with your guide. Of course, he knows where to start looking and you follow along. He finds the fish, instructs you on how to sneak into the right position, when to make the cast and how to retrieve the fly. If all goes well – fish on!

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The water is still low, too low for any bones to enter the lagoon. For now, that is. Casting a glance at the stick you planted at the water’s edge before sitting down for a drink, your hopes are discretely affirmed; the tide is coming in. With it, the bones will be coming too, and they’ll pass through right here.

Suddenly your heart skips a beat. There it is; the first bone; slowly cruising along the edges of the bay, impatiently waiting for the rising tide and for access to all the crabs, worms and shrimps of the lagoon. You sneak into position and make the cast. An easy one – fifteen meters, maybe less, but you still manage to almost hit the fish on the head. Bones hate that. Damn! Better chances don’t come along very often. The only consolation is that more fish are bound to come in soon.

You don’t quite know how the fish got there; unnoticed, passing you at the entrance of the channel, but that’s what bonefish do. Sneaky invisible bastards… Anyway, now it’s tailing in the shallows. You creep closer. Now you’re the sneaky one. This time the cast is right on the money. A few strips and the fish is on the fly – fish on!

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B A H A MA S

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The line cuts through the surface and the bone is into the backing in seconds. You are supposed to enjoy the moment, but halfway into the fight you just want to close the deal: Another fish is tailing in the lagoon now… no there’s two! Now you’re in a bubble, closing out everything else.

You’re in bonefish heaven and you plan on taking full advantage of it.

counter when fishing on your own or with a friend.

Don’t take this the wrong way. There is nothing wrong with being guided to a great catch. It would have been rather pathetic if we thought so. After all, we sell a lot of guided fishing! It’s just that – given the right tools at the right location – success in bonefishing is fairly easy to accomplish.

And our group leaders are equipped with these tools.

They know what areas to fish on different tides.

There it is; the first bone; slowly cruising along the edges of the bay, impatiently waiting for the rising tide...

Eventually, the tide gets too high, and in some mystical way only known to the bonefish themselves, they disappear as quietly and quickly as they had arrived two hours earlier – perhaps via the mangroves? God, how time flies! It’s probably time to meet up with the other guys again…

The best bonefish school Our Getaway bonefishing concept is about teaching you how to excel in- and enjoy bonefishing the third way: The unguided way. How to take full advantage of the situations you en-

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Whether or not it is more satisfying to find the fish on your own and make the right decisions leading up to hooking and landing the fish is a matter of personal taste.

What do we think? Hell yeah, it’s a heck of a lot more fun!

Over the years, many of our clients have felt the same way. For years, we did trips to the Bahamas with three guidedand three unguided days of fishing. The majority of the cost

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of these trips obviously went to the guided days, but every so often we would have clients ask at the end of the week: “Can’t we just skip the last guided day and fish on our own?”.

For years, we have been dreaming of the perfect bonefish trip for those wanting to stalk the shallows for bones on their own.

A reverend gone fishing Our partner in the Bahamas is the renowned Grey’s Point Bonefish Inn at Acklins Island. On this sparsely populated island in the southern part of Bahamas life passes by quietly and there is plenty of space for everybody.

For years, we have been dreaming of the perfect bonefish trip for those wanting to stalk the shallows for bones on their own.

The family-owned and operated Grey’s Point Bonefish Inn offers the best location on Acklins, carefully chosen by Reverend Newton Williamson Sr., who had a vision of building a guest house for anglers ever since he noticed the first Americans camping the beaches

Only recently did we finally convince our partners in the Bahamas to let us set up such a European program; exactly the way we and our clients have always dreamed of: Long days - fishing different areas every day at our own pace.

at Grey’s Point in the late ‘60s.

On our bonefish trips the novice bonefish angler will find himself in a relaxed environment and he will enjoy the company and knowledge of our experienced tour leader and fellow anglers. The skilled bonefish angler will definitely appreciate the opportunity of spending extra hours on the flats.

Today there is no camping but spacious rooms and a friendly service on the hill of Grey’s Point. Though both his children and grandsons are engaged at the lodge, Reverend Newton Williamson Sr. is still there most evenings, having late dinner and chatting about bonefishing.

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twenty visits to

ACKLINS

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veryone who has met you know you are addicted to the salt – but why bonefish?

– First and foremost, bonefishing is sight fishing at its best. You need to understand the tides and how the fish move about on the flat - and finally you need to be able to spot the bonefish before it sees you. If, in addition, you’re on foot and fishing on your own it feels so incredibly fulfilling when you succeed. Sure, it’s a lot of fun when a bone melts fifty meters off your fly reel in seconds – but to me, it is everything leading up to the actual take that is the big kick.

Just the thought of sneaking up on a tailing bonefish in the mangroves makes my heart beat faster. I might end up on my knees, casting a mere twenty feet and barely getting the leader through the top guide before the fish eats. Now, to me that’s real bonefishing!

Another thing I really like about bonefish is that you pretty much get out what you put in. I mean, if you educate yourself about bonefish behaviour and do your best to find them then you will actually catch some fish. Of course, there can be days with fewer fish around or bad weather but, generally speaking, you will soon enough learn whether you are doing things the right way, or whether there is room for improvement. Your bonefishing will gradually improve as you learn more about their habits and behaviour. That kind of transparency and potential for success is far from given with

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many other species of fish. Just think oabout salmon fishing.

You can be ever so experienced and a great fly fisherman and still everything can go wrong: The salmon might completely ignore your flies – or perhaps they haven’t even entered the river in decent numbers. With bonefish it isn’t like that!

That first visit was in 1988.

Since then, I have fished for bones in many other corners of the world, but I just keep coming back to Acklins.

What brought you to Acklins Island in the Bahamas?

– Actually, like so many other great things in life it was pure coincidence. Through my job at Go-Fishing, the tackle

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Every winter, Claus Eriksen – one of Europe’s best-known seatrout anglers – changes his waders in favour of flats boots and travels south.

We talked to Claus about his fascination with bonefishing – and why Grey’s Point Inn on Acklins Island has seen him return again and again for almost three decades.

shop, I met a sales guy from a US-based downrigger company. I don’t even think they exist anymore but back then it was something we just had to have in the shop. I had some good conversations with the salesman who, of course, turned out to be a fly fisherman. When I discovered that, we were soon done talking downriggers and ended up talking bonefish instead. I had discovered bonefish in the Florida Keys and had just returned from my first trip there but my new American friend insisted that the recently opened Grey’s Point Bonefish Inn, which located in an area with one amazing flat after the other, was something extraordinary - with lots and lots of bonefish. He was clearly very impressed with the fishing there, so I booked a trip there that same winter. That first visit was in 1988. Since then, I have fished for bones in many other corners of the world, but I just keep coming back to Acklins.

My American friend was right, and today I have visited the family at Grey’s Point more than twenty times - and I have no intention of stopping going back there every year.

Did the fishing change on Acklins during all these years?

– No, not really. Acklins is a pretty small island in a sparsely populated part of the Bahamas. There is only about 500 people living there and they didn’t even get electricity before the early nineties. Bahamas has been hit by some serious hurricanes; the latest was Matthew in 2016, and that has put a stop to several projects on Acklins. The airport is exactly the

same as when I first arrived and besides a new gas station I haven’t seen any real changes on the island.

Talking of hurricanes, I should probably add that we are fishing outside the hurricane season, which is from late summer to early autumn. You will still see houses here and there abandoned after the last hurricane but, overall, Bahamas is less affected by hurricanes than the US East Coast. During the winter months the weather and the fishing is usually pretty stable.

A cold front might hit the area now and then but it’s usually only for a couple of days and the fishing can still be pretty good.

If Acklins has changed at all, it’s only for the better - at least from a fly angler’s perspective. Fishing pressure is down to a minimum and we catch more bonefish today than when we started. All right, some of that is obviously also because I have gotten to know the area really well, and as in any kind of fishing, the more you know a certain location the better are the results.

Can you explain the low fishing pressure –after all, Bahamas is world famous for its bonefishing?

– First of all, the areas that hold bonefish on Acklins are so many and so big that I doubt you could fish them all in a lifetime – and Acklins is just one of many islands on the Bahamas. When we fish there for a week it’s unusual to fish the same area for more than one day. Imagine sandy flats stretching so far that you couldn’t possibly cover them in a

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day. Secondly, the number of fly anglers has declined over the last twenty years. When, during the nineties, the world got smaller and flight tickets got cheaper, bonefish was what everyone wanted to try. That started a boom in the Bahamas with lodges popping up all over. On Acklins alone - one of the hardest islands to get to, there were six lodges! Even then, the fishing pressure never got to a point where it negatively impacted on the bonefishing.

Then, as prices in the Bahamas started to go up and the world continued to get smaller, fly anglers also found a lot of other species to fish for. Bonefishing in the Bahamas suddenly had outside competition. Today, there are only a couple of lodges left on Acklins, and it’s a rare sight to see any anglers there. The Americans prefer islands with direct flights and fancier (and more expensive) lodging, and the last couple of years they have also been busy rediscovering Cuba after the travel-ban there has been lifted. That has made Cuba ridiculously expensive for the rest of us, but the upside is that there is plenty of room for us on Acklins.

do without the advice on casting so-and-so far in this-or-that direction. And then most of us also know how to tie the fly to the leader.

In my experience, especially newcomers almost get performance anxiety when they fish with a guide and for that reason, they simply get much more out of fishing on their own to begin with. That is, after they’ve had a few pointers on “where and how”. This is where our decades of experience on Acklins are priceless. We can send the guests fishing on their own but with the necessary knowledge about the area in relation to weather and tides.

For several years, we were splitting the week between guided and unguided days but it soon shone through that our guests predominantly preferred the unguided days. Experienced saltwater anglers love the opportunity to test their skills by fishing on their own, and a couple of friends will have a fantastic trip when they can spend long days on endless flats stalking bones and chatting in between - without someone at the back of a boat running the course of the battle. Having said that, I should probably mention that the lodge offers some good guides and if you’re wondering what difference a guide makes, just give it a try. Personally, I find it more satisfying catching five bones on my own than ten pointed out to me by a guide. Remember, though, that just because you have a guide doesn’t mean that every day will be a bonefish bonanza. The fish still have to do their part and no two days are alike. On the other hand, a guide can take you by boat to remote flats that you couldn’t possibly have fished otherwise.

Today, there are only a couple of lodges left on Acklins, and it’s a rare sight to see any anglers there.

You have hosted several bonefish trips, with clients fishing on their own and also with guides. What’s the difference?

– There are different opinions on guided fishing. In Europe, we aren’t used to fishing with a guide and all of my guests are basically dreaming about catching bonefish on their own. Because that’s the way we normally fish. The problem is that if you set out to fish for bones without any kind of local knowledge, then you are usually pretty lost when it comes to finding the fish. Any success will be very hard earned. That’s our dilemma: One the one hand, we would like to draw from the experience of the guide but on the other hand, we could

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What about these huge areas and fishing them on your own – isn’t it easy getting lost without a guide?

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B A H AM A S – AC K LIN S IS LA N D – No, I have never heard of anyone getting lost on Acklins.

We are always fishing a couple of us together and were mostly covering open flats where you can see very far. Sun, wind and tides will also help you keep the right direction. But don’t lose track of time, even if the fishing is good, because if you have walked a good long way out there it’s going to be the same on your way back. You want to make it back before darkness and before the mosquitoes show up.

How should one prepare for ones first bonefish trip to Acklins?

– Get in reasonable shape before you go. It’s not necessary to be in shape for running a marathon, but you will do a lot of walking every day and you’re out in the sun. Your footwear must fit and I strongly advise to use shoes or boots made for this: Flats boots or similar. If you have bought new

travelling to the

BAHAMAS SEASON: October-April.

FLY TO: Acklins Island via Nassau.

TYPICAL ITINERARY: Day 1: Arrival in Nassau, stay at hotel.

Day 2: Morning flight to Acklins, transfer to the Grey’s Point Inn, lunch, rig up tackle and hit the nearby flats for an afternoon’s worth of fishing.

Day 3-8: Six full days of fishing Day 9: Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Nassau and onwards to your final destination.

footwear then break it in before you leave. Your fishing skills shouldn’t be too rusty, either. Especially your ability to judge the distance of your casts should be fairly sharp. It’s easy to suggest casting practice but deep inside, we know we’re not going to do it. If possible, fish a clear trout lake instead. Practice fish spotting and acquire an understanding of the sink rate of your flies.

Any other advice on gear or flies?

– I don’t think there is any need to get complicated on flies.

You are basically fishing sand flats all the time so light colours will typically work best. Crabs must taste fantastic for bones because in the mangroves small crab flies are hard to beat.

On the outside, the so-called ocean flats, I use slightly bigger shrimp flies, like Mantis Shrimps or Gotchas. Instead of lots of different patterns, I prefer various sizes and sink rates for different depths.

There have been plenty of discussions about the ideal bonefish rod and after having experimented a lot I have settled for an 8-weight. For a feather light fly presentation at close range a 5-weight might be ideal, and there was a time when we couldn’t fish light enough, so I have tried that as well. Honestly, though, I felt a little bad for the fish because landing them invariably took longer. To me, an 8-weight rod will handle all situations. In shallow water and without wind you can fish a long leader and light flies, and when the wind picks up, you can still punch through the wind and present the fly properly. If you don’t want to carry a second rod, the 8-weight will also handle most other species you might encounter on Acklins. This allows you to throw Clousers for hard-fighting jacks in the channels, change for a wire leader and go for big barracudas – or even smaller sharks.

Obviously, quality polarized sunglasses are a must too – but you probably already knew that…

PRICE: From around EUR 1950 without flights and hotel in Nassau.

Killer of the FLATS The barracuda is a totally underrated quarry on the flats – if you get a chance to fish for one, do it! When hooked, they will make long runs and often propel themselves out of the water in spectacular jumps. Imagine hooking a four feet long fish in one foot of water... then you will get some action!

Cudas are fierce predators that will, quite literally, cut your bonefish in half while you are fighting it –and they can be super finicky and very difficult to lure.

Fortunately, Acklins has a very healthy population of them so you should get plenty of chances to practice.

Sometimes we carry a second rod, rigged with wire and a cuda fly. At other times we will simply rig up the bonefish rod if we spot one.

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BAHAMAS PACKLIST

What & Why RODS: The go-to rods for the Bahamian flats: 9’ #7-8 saltwater rod for bonefish 9’ #8-9 saltwater rod for barracuda REELS: #8-9 saltwater reel with 200 m 30-50 lb braid backing LINES: #7-9 floating bonefish taper line #9-10 floating tropical saltwater line LEADERS: Tapered saltwater leaders 9-12 ft. 10-20 lb Wire leader / shock tippet for barracuda ACCESSORIES: Waterproof backpack Saltwater pliers Hook sharpener Sunglasses

A BACKUP ROD is always necessary when travelling.

If possible choose the same line weight for both your bonefish rods. This will save you the trouble of bringing more fly lines. If you are serious about the big barracudas consider bringing a #9 rod along as well.

MANY DIFFERENT saltwater fly lines have entered the market in recent years. We have tried them all but tend to stick to the traditional Bonefish Tapers for Bahamas since both short- and long range casting with plethora of different flies is needed. If you are new to the salt you might like to overload your rod with a fly line one weight-class up. This will help you more effectively load your rod on shorter casts and it will aid when throwing larger flies too.

CLOTHING: Flats boots Sun/ stripping gloves Long-sleeved shirts (UPF30+) Pants (UPF30+) Shorts Cap Buff Light rain gear BONEFISHING IS PRETTY BASIC when it comes to choosing your fly tackle. There has, however, been some debate over rods. In many bonefishing situations you’ll want a light rod for accurate and delicate presentations – but one hour later you might want a

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rod that can punch your fly through heavy winds on an open flat. In any case, you’ll want a rod with some backbone to tame the powers of the bonefish. When choosing the go-to rod for bonefish, we still recommend the classic #8 saltwater rod: It will not let you down! There is a reason that saltwater rods are built with sturdy components. The salt, the sand and the sun all put great strain on your tackle.

A fly reel in the #7-8 range with a decent drag will do the job well. In other words, most fly reels on the market today will work nicely.

WHILE THE HARDWARE hasn’t changed much in bonefishing during the last decades, a lot has happened on the ‘software’ scene. Being out on the flats all day with no real opportunity of reaching the shadows is much more comfortable with today’s clothing technology. Flats boots that fit are a must and you will be a happy bonefisher if you spend that extra money on a waterproof backpack. Furthermore, silk-like crewnecks and High UV-Buffs make it a more pleasant experience than the traditional tropical shirts and hats.

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If you’re ready to hook up with big barracudas, strong jacks – or even sharks –you should bring some baitfish flies tied on heavy-wire hooks. In order to effectively hook cudas and increase landing rates, a stinger hook is recommended.

BAHAMAS

the flies

A selection of small and light crab flies is your best bet in the mangroves. In here, the bones are extra wary and alert, but a nice little tan crab with rubber legs is hard to resist for a tailing bonefish. To avoid getting snagged, consider adding a weed guard to some of your crabs.

Classic shrimp flies are a must on Acklins. The huge sandflats call for lightly coloured bonefish flies and variations of Gotchas, Mantis Shrimp, Puffs and Crazy Charlies. The same goes for the modern, lifelike shrimp flies used for European sea trout fishing. Fortunately, Acklins has a very healthy population of bones so you will get plenty of opportunities to experiment.

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TALK I NG FL Y R OD S

Different kinds of fly fishing demand different kinds of fly rods. One of the industry’s most experienced fly rod designers – Jim Bartschi, president of Scott Fly Rods – shares his thoughts on fly rod design.

How did you become a fly rod designer?

Sort of a long story. I’ve been the head of design at Scott Fly Rods for more than twenty years now, but I started working for the company quite some time before that. Originally, Scott was founded in 1974 by Harry Wilson and based in San Francisco. Wilson was already used as a brand, so Harry named the fly rods after his son Scott instead. I was growing up in the Bay Area at that time and before long I was completely taken by fly fishing. Besides the actual fishing I spent a lot of time in fly shops and guiding the local waters. During my second year in college I was offered an apprenticeship by Harry Wilson and his rod designer Larry Kenney. Only 20 years old, I could not resist the offer, and I have been with Scott ever since.

In 1993 the present owner, William Clay Ford Jr, bought Scott. This meant a new era for Scott. Soon we moved to much larger production facilities in Colorado, and I became the company’s main fly rod designer. Things developed along the way and for the last ten years, I have also had the pleasure of being the President of Scott Fly Rods.

At GetAway Fly Fishing we love the Meridian series when fishing saltwater. What were your initial thoughts before designing and developing these rods?

When we completed Radian, we really felt we created a rod series that had rod speed and feel. It was a real accomplishment from our point of view. I kept asking, what if we could do that in a saltwater series? Speed, power and feel.

That would be amazing. Unfortunately, it’s never certain that a design idea will scale up to heavier rods (or down to light line rods) so I really didn’t know if our approach to creating Radian would work in a saltwater series. Eventually adjustments in material blends and tapers got us to the Meridian rods. After extensive prototyping in the shop, it was time to get them on the water to verify. For two years captains all over the world put these rods to the test. Tarpon guides through-

out Florida tested the 11 and 12 weights for two full seasons.

Permit guides in the Keys, Belize and Australia tested the 9 and 10 weights on their flats and fish. Just about every species angler’s target with flies in the salt were participants in the project. A lot of test fishing went into those Meridian rods.

Doing extensive prototype testing doesn’t sound so bad! What is your own favorite fly fishing endeavor?

I trout fish most often simply because I have trout streams all around my home. Fishing a dry to a rising trout is still one of my favorite experiences.

After extensive prototyping in the shop, it was time to get them on the water to verify. For two years captains all over the world put these rods to the test.

I also spend a lot of time on the flats catching bonefish, permit and tarpon. I’ve been lucky to fish most of the world’s great tropical flats and have kept a skiff in the Florida Keys for many years.

And then there’s the swing. There’s nothing quite like connecting with a big chrome steelhead or salmon on a swung fly.

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T A L K I N G F L Y R OD S

Making the 11 weight work, blasting out another long cast on a remote jungle river in Nicaragua.

I don’t get to do that as much as when I lived in California, but still manage to get a couple trips in each year.

Speaking of tarpon and saltwater rods. When fishing at the Tapam lodge in Nicaragua, we often discuss whether to bring 11 or 12 weight fly rods. What is your view on this?

For Tapam, I’d bring both. You’re always trying to balance ease of casting, presentation, and power with tarpon. It really depends on the fishery.

In the Keys, almost all the ocean side fishing is done with a 10 or 11 weight now, and fly sizes have gotten smaller and leaders much longer. In deeper water, or water where sinking lines are blind casted frequently, a 12 weight is the tool I like.

I think 12 weights have a bad reputation because some rod brands have made them so stiff and tiring to fish that no one wants to fish a 12 these days. We try and make our 12 weights cast and fish like our 11 weights, only handling that extra 3 grams of fly line weight. A good 12 weight should be just as easy to fish all day as a good 10 or 11, and they really have a place when targeting tarpon, GTs and other heavy, hard fighting fish.

make huge differences. Several rods in a series are made on the same mandrel, and sometimes it is only one millimeter of fibers that makes the difference between two rod sizes. A

I think 12 weights have a bad reputation because some rod brands have made them so stiff and tiring to fish that no one wants to fish a 12 these days. very small difference when making the rod, but we all know how much a change of fly rod can do to the experience on the water.

What are the biggest challenges in designing modern fly rods?

The major challenge is to link theory with reality. Fly casting is very complex when you study the physics of it, and there is no easy way to be successful. Even small margins

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A lot of our clients worry about breaking rods when heading for steelhead, since some brands have difficulties handling the heavier skagit setups and larger flies. This doesn’t seem to be the case with

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Loading the two-hander before doing another swing for Chile’s massive chrome bright kings.

Jim Barschi checking out prototypes at the Scott rod factory in Colorado, USA.

your two handers. What’s the secret?

Many modern two handers are designed to feel light in hand and quick in action when you pick them up in the store.

This isn’t where they are going to be used.

A rod that is larger in diameter has more stiffness and mass in the tip and loads progressively, will handle the extreme loads of Skagit heads, T-14 and big Intruder flies.

Stabilizing the cross section of the rod to prevent deformation and torque are also key factors in making well-balanced and durable two-handed rods.

What is the future of fly rods?

If I only knew, haha! I think the potential for breakthroughs on both resin chemistry and fiber structure are getting closer now. There are materials like the Nobel winning Graphene that are still years away from commercialization, but someday will be available for applications in real world products. Imagine that: Graphene put into fly rods, unnatural superlight in weight and yet several hundred times stronger than steel... There are also a lot of studies and experiments going on to improve the performance of the glues (resins) that hold the fibers together.

It’s only a matter of time before some of these become commercialized and allow real improvements in fly rod design and performance.

Many modern two handers are designed to feel light in hand and quick in action when you pick them up in the store. This isn’t where they are going to be used.

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SU DA N – N U B IAN F LATS 1. How did you ever start thinking about fishing in Sudan?

When i was 21, with some friends we started to do fishing trips in Maldives on small budget, fortunately the dollar was very low, and allowed us to start travelling.

But then for us, very young and without money, became almost impossible to go on a standard fishing trip, and also we were looking for some adventures, so we started to analyze every possible place in the world, and Sudan was a diving place, se we tought about it, but together with billions of other destinations. Between me and my friend-partner we been in Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Yemen, Maldives, Lakshadweep, Andam, West Papua and Oman 2. When did you go there for the first time?

First time i fished there was 2011 3. How did you get to fish there the first time – you probably had to make some special arrangements with boats/locals etc?

I went in touch with a diving guide who was working on a diving boat, then i met the boat owner who also like fishing, but just for trout. He was interested in the fishing business and he guest me for 3 weeks in April and 3 weeks in November 2011. Was a great experience and i also got diving licence 4. What are the biggest challenges of running an operation in Sudan.

There are many challenges, keep improving the boat, keep the maintenance also when you are not there, form the crew, form the fishing guides. Shortly, keep everything under control and keep thinking on how to improve the product.And also you must be always there, you can’t just leave a guide instead of you. You are the owner and you must manage everything, specially the crew 5. What species did you expect to find on the fly there?

It’s really umbeliveable the variety of species, on fly you can catch all the reef species while teasing. The most common fish in the flat is the Triggerfish, we are still discovering new flats area, and in the last season we discover a huge flat with huge Bonefish (constantly) and an island with Permit, and of course GT. We only hooked few milkfish but huge, and few Bumphead parrotfish totally impossible to land, something over 40 kg.

Then on the reef teasing you can catch everything: Snapper, Gouper, Coral Trout, Barracuda, Bluefin, and we also got 2 Dogtooth tuna on fly from shore, so far the only 2 recorded in the world from shore on the fly.

who fished on fly and from shore, and we got plenty of Bluefin, i saw Triggerfish, Bumphead and GT. 8. Can you describe the first really great fly fishing experience you had in Sudan – an experience that made you think “we really have something special here”?

It has been the first fly fishing trip, we got dozen of triggerfish, we got 1 bonefish, we saw huge bonefish and permit, and we lost a big gt, plus we saw other gt.

Nothing really special, but considering it was totally unknow and we had to visit lot of empty flats to find the good ones, well, was a very good result.

9. How do you start exploring such a huge area where no one knows anything about the fly fishing opportunities?

Actually i started in partnership with a South African fly fishing agency, and we run something like 12 exploratory weeks before we set up everything. And still we have plenty of place to visit 10. What was your own previous experience with fly fishing in saltwater?

Nothing, i started together with my business, now i am more a SW fly fisherman than FW 11. How did you come in contact with the Tourette guys and how did you start working together with them?

Various contact. An italian friend of mine been in Gabon years ago where he met Edward Trouter, a legendary guy who been in more than 50 countries and he’s sick about exploring. Well, the italian guy sent him a pic of Bumphead parrotfish tailing in Sudan, and Ed contacted me and put me in touch with Tourette. Ed was also friend of other Nicola Zingarelli, owner of a online shop in Spain, and since Nicola came with me in 2012, Ed asked him, and he got back a good review, so they decided to spend time and come to visit the place.

12. How did you manage to get a mothership operation established in such a remote place – without having lots of money to use I was also lucky. The boat was already in Port Sudan, and is the boat that is there since longer time. It was belonging to an italian guy who was tired of it and getting old, and for diving was out of maket. The boat was also in not good conditions, we were in 3, and the price was effortable.

6. What did you think of the potential for fly fishing first time you went there?

I was not yet a saltwater fly fisherman, and i did know nothing about flats.

7. Was there anything that really surprised you about the fly fishing in Sudan (species, nature of the spots etc)?

At the beginning i was totally ignorant about SW fly fishing, i was not thinking to find GT in the flats. In the very beginning of the business, in 2012, i had clients

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Sudan

1. How did you ever start thinking about fishing in Sudan?

When i was 21, with some friends we started to do fishing trips in Maldives on small budget, fortunately the dollar was very low, and allowed us to start travelling.

But then for us, very young and without money, became almost impossible to go on a standard fishing trip, and also we were looking for some adventures, so we started to analyze every possible place in the world, and Sudan was a diving place, se we tought about it, but together with billions of other destinations. Between me and my friend-partner we been in Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Yemen, Maldives, Lakshadweep, Andam, West Papua and Oman

who fished on fly and from shore, and we got plenty of Bluefin, i saw Triggerfish, Bumphead and GT. 8. Can you describe the first really great fly fishing experience you had in Sudan – an experience that made you think “we really have something special here”?

It has been the first fly fishing trip, we got dozen of triggerfish, we got 1 bonefish, we saw huge bonefish and permit, and we lost a big gt, plus we saw other gt.

Nothing really special, but considering it was totally unknow and we had to visit lot of empty flats to find the good ones, well, was a very good result.

GT ON THE FLY

2. When did you go there for the first time?

First time i fished there was 2011

9. How do you start exploring such a huge area where no one knows anything about the fly fishing opportunities?

Actually i started in partnership with a South African fly fishing agency, and we run something like 12 exploratory weeks before we set up everything. And still we have plenty of place to visit

...and an endless list of other temptations

3. How did you get to fish there the first time – you probably had to make some special arrangements with boats/locals etc?

I went in touch with a diving guide who was working on a diving boat, then i met the boat owner who also like fishing, but just for trout. He was interested in the fishing business and he guest me for 3 weeks in April and 3 weeks in November 2011. Was a great experience and i also got diving licence 4. What are the biggest challenges of running an operation in Sudan.

There are many challenges, keep improving the boat, keep the maintenance also when you are not there, form the crew, form the fishing guides. Shortly, keep everything under control and keep thinking on how to improve the product.And also you must be always there, you can’t just leave a guide instead of you. You are the owner and you must manage everything, specially the crew 5. What species did you expect to find on the fly there?

It’s really umbeliveable the variety of species, on fly you can catch all the reef species while teasing. The most common fish in the flat is the Triggerfish, we are still discovering new flats area, and in the last season we discover a huge flat with huge Bonefish (constantly) and an island with Permit, and of course GT. We only hooked few milkfish but huge, and few Bumphead parrotfish totally impossible to land, something over 40 kg.

Then on the reef teasing you can catch everything: Snapper, Gouper, Coral Trout, Barracuda, Bluefin, and we also got 2 Dogtooth tuna on fly from shore, so far the only 2 recorded in the world from shore on the fly.

10. What was your own previous experience with fly fishing in saltwater?

Nothing, i started together with my business, now i am more a SW fly fisherman than FW 11. How did you come in contact with the Tourette guys and how did you start working together with them?

Various contact. An italian friend of mine been in Gabon years ago where he met Edward Trouter, a legendary guy who been in more than 50 countries and he’s sick about exploring. Well, the italian guy sent him a pic of Bumphead parrotfish tailing in Sudan, and Ed contacted me and put me in touch with Tourette. Ed was also friend of other Nicola Zingarelli, owner of a online shop in Spain, and since Nicola came with me in 2012, Ed asked him, and he got back a good review, so they decided to spend time and come to visit the place.

12. How did you manage to get a mothership operation established in such a remote place – without having lots of money to use I was also lucky. The boat was already in Port Sudan, and is the boat that is there since longer time. It was belonging to an italian guy who was tired of it and getting old, and for diving was out of maket. The boat was also in not good conditions, we were in 3, and the price was effortable.

6. What did you think of the potential for fly fishing first time you went there?

I was not yet a saltwater fly fisherman, and i did know nothing about flats.

7. Was there anything that really surprised you about the fly fishing in Sudan (species, nature of the spots etc)?

At the beginning i was totally ignorant about SW fly fishing, i was not thinking to find GT in the flats. In the very beginning of the business, in 2012, i had clients

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intro

O

Seychelles fisheries and saw the potential in Sudan right away.

ur story about Sudan somehow begins in the Seychelles. Explanation needed? OK, here we go: Back in 2007 and 2008 we fished Cosmoledo in the Seychelles: Initially just to see what the fuss was all about, and the second time – now knowing what the fuss was actually about!

– hosting a small group of clients. On top of everything else this destination offered GT on the fly and it was simply a jaw-dropping experience. The flights were already booked for 2009 when a terribly incident changed everything: On its way to Mahé the Indian Ocean Explorer - the mothership of the Cosmoledo operation - was hijacked by Somali pirates. Capt. Francis Roucou and his six-man crew were held captive during two-and-a-half-months in Somalia and the Indian Ocean Explorer was sunk because the pirates didn’t think the ransom paid was satisfactory. As a direct consequence of the hijacking the Seychelles closed down fishing on the outer atolls for years.

As fishermen we know that sometimes patience is the only way. Patient we were - and ready! So, when the South African economy weakened as their currency exchange rates dropped cancelled weeks were inevitable. That’s where we came in!

We booked the cancelled weeks straight away and from 2018 and onwards we can now offer some of the best weeks for fly fishing in Sudan.

We can’t wait to go and check out this fantastic new saltwater destination in May 2017 so we can bring clients from 2018. With an exciting mix of triggerfish, snappers, groupers, bluefin trevallies, permit, bonefish and, of course, some hefty GTs we are already thinking of Sudan as a “Seychelles Light”. And with light we are not referring to the GTs. We are referring to the price.

When the pirate activity had finally come to an end, and Cosmoledo and the other outer atolls reopened, we were still dreaming about GTs on the fly and ready to go. However, things had changed. In 2008, we fished Cosmoledo for €4,500 per angler. Expensive, but worth it! Now, the price tag is $14,000. Is it worth it? Well, is any fishing worth $14,000 for six days? To us, that was the end of GT fishing in the Seychelles.

For the last couple of years, we have had our sight on Sudan. While it started out as a fantastic destination for triggerfish (one of the “new” species, along with milkfish, that grew very popular when fly fishing in the Seychelles appeared on the radar) it soon became clear that the unexplored Nubian flats also offered some spectacular GT fishing. In fact, it was so good – and incredible value-for-money – that the relatively few weeks the Italian operation offered for fly fishing were sold out years in advance. Sudan was especially popular with South Africans. They had been spearheading the exploration of the

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safety in

S U DA N Port Sudan is a very sparsely populated area and far away from the security issues in South Sudan: The neighbouring country where political unrest has cast a shadow over the Sudanese tourism potential.

For years, thousands of tourists have visited Port Sudan and its friendly people, and today Sudan’s diving industry is growing rapidly.

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talking to

NICOLA

H

ow did you ever come up with the idea of fly fishing in Sudan?

That was the first of many questions we really wanted to ask Nicola Vitali, owner of the mothership M/Y Scuba Libre and the “inventor” of fly fishing in Sudan. In this interview, Nicola gives us the answer to this question – and to many others that arose along the way: When I was 21 a few friends and I started travelling to the Maldives to fish. Our budgets were minimal, and if it hadn’t been for the fact that the dollar exchange rate was favourable back then we wouldn’t have made it. Being young and low on cash, it was almost impossible to go on a standard fishing trip, but we were adventurous and we were constantly looking for new destinations to fish. Back then Sudan was starting to become known as a great diving destination, so we gave it some thought. Still, there were so many other destinations that we also wanted to check out so together with my friends I visited Egypt, Eritrea, Djibouti, Yemen, the Maldives, Lakshadweep, the Andamans, West Papua, Oman and finally – in 2011 – Sudan.

but I had some luck. I needed a good boat and I found one that was already in Port Sudan. It had been there for a long time and its Italian owner was getting old and growing tired of his diving business, most of which he had lost to younger competitors. I’d be lying if I said that the boat was in good condition but it was affordable and there were three of us chipping in with our modest savings and an endless amount of hard work.

Throughout our exploration of the Nubian reefs and flats we never made any money – but we didn’t spend any either, we more or less broke even. We didn’t care about making money anyway; we just wanted to go fishing. Sometimes I wonder whether that is still the case. In 2016 we gave the boat a serious make over and worked on it every day for more than a month, refurbishing 70% of the hull. In 2017 new engines will be put in and in 2018 a new generator. It never ends!

Today, I’m glad we didn’t have €500.000 for a new boat back then. We wouldn’t have caught more fish because of it.

Surely, we would have had a nicer mothership – but it would also have meant a much higher selling price for our clients!

In Sudan, I got in touch with a guy working on one of the diving boats in Port Sudan. Through him I met the boat owner. He happened to be really interested in fishing but only knew trout fishing in rivers and lakes in Europe. He invited me to fish with him for three weeks in April and another three weeks in November 2011. It was a great experience; he learned a lot about fishing in saltwater and, besides catching lots of nice fish, I got me a diving license.

I soon realised that Sudan would be the perfect place for me to start a sport fishing operation. I didn’t have much money

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Italian angler Nicola Vitali and his friends are the inventors of fly fishing in Sudan.

Here, Nicola releases one of last season’s many hefty fly-caught Giant Trevallies.

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Bluefin trevallies will often enter the flats as singles or in smaller schools. They hit flies aggressively, they fight hard and – well, they boast some pretty cool colours!

When I came to Sudan I had never fly fished in saltwater before. I knew nothing about flats fishing and had no idea that you could even find GTs there. On the very first fly fishing trip we ever did, we got a dozen triggerfish, a bonefish – and we saw some huge bonefish and even permit. We lost a big GT and we saw other GTs in shallow water: Nothing really special by today’s standards. However, considering the fact that we had no idea about where to fish and that we had to visit lot of empty flat in order to find the good ones... well, it was actually a very good result, and I realized we had something special here.

Today, we can put visiting fly fishermen on an unbelievable variety of species. The most common species on the flats is the triggerfish, but we are still discovering new areas with great flats. Last season, we discovered a huge flat with really big bonefish, we found an island that frequently had permit around it and of course we found new spots for GTs. We have hooked some monster bumphead parrotfish – more than 40 kilos

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and impossible to land – and some really big milkfish too.

We have lots of bluefin trevallies, snappers – all the coral species. We also catch these if we tease them in from the reefs, along with coral trout, grouper, and barracuda. We have even caught two dogtooth tuna; as far as I know the only two fly caught doggies ever caught anywhere in the world from the shore!

I was lucky to find the right partners for developing our fly fishing services in Sudan. A friend of mine met a South African destination angler in Gabon years ago and later showed him a picture of a tailing bumphead parrotfish from Sudan. He proved to be associated with Tourette Fishing, a South African fly fishing company, and he somehow got in touch. Tourette Fishing came and checked out the place and we decided to do 12 exploratory weeks together before we set up everything. The area we fish is virtually infinite. We now have several seasons behind us and there are still plenty of places we haven’t even visited yet.

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Built like a tank but not that easy to fool: For many seasoned SW flyrodders triggerfish have replaced bonefish as their favorite quarry.

It will take many years to explore all the opportunities we have up and down the coast. Last season, we tried fishing an area in the north for the first time. Here, we found a bonefish flat and a coastal flat - several kilometres long - full of triggerfish. At the edge of this flat there was a steep dropoff and it was crazy good for GTs. In the deep south we have an area that stretches out over more than 30 kilometres with bays, islands, mangroves and other interesting features. We have only had one short session there and have yet to figure out the flats fishing – but it is certainly full of GTs. I fished it with a client that had five shots at nice GTs, lost a snapper, cut off two huge barracudas and a monster bluefin and we saw another big cuda, a shark, more nice snappers and a big triggerfish. It was a pretty hectic day!

My South African partners knew triggerfish well from the Seychelles. They don’t have many triggers there but they love to catch them. And anyone who has fished for them understands why: They are very challenging, much more so than small to medium bonefish, and a great fish on a fly rod.

In Sudan there are lots of them, so many that you can choose to target them all week – and it is probably the best place anywhere in the world for triggerfish. You could say that, here, the triggerfish are in fact our bonefish – even though we also have bones around.

Of course, my favorite species on the fly is the GT! We have a lot of GTs in Sudan but it’s important to remember, that a GT on fly is the ultimate catch. You don’t catch many of them but you’ll usually get many good shots every week. When I go fishing myself I always get a GT, simply because it’s my

When I go fishing myself I always get a GT, simply because it’s my job and I know how to deal with them. job and I know how to deal with them. I don’t get distracted by all the other species but simply have the 12-weight rod ready at all times, so I don’t miss the shot. If you’re casting a 9-weight for a trigger and a GT suddenly shoots by it’s a pretty narrow window of opportunity to change rods and make the cast.

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Many of our clients catch their first GT when we tease them in from the edge of the reef, throwing hookless poppers into deeper water. One big advantage when teasing is that the clients are ready with their 12 weights! Some weeks, the teasing can be really mad but we have other weeks where there are a lot of big fish on the flats. I have had days where clients had up to 15 great shots at GTs in a day while during other times they maybe have five good shots in a week. That’s when teasing comes in handy; usually that will give us plenty of extra opportunities..

travelling to

S U DA N

I think we will see a lot of our clients focusing on GTs in the future. Most of my repeating clients no longer want to tease. They get enough shots on the flats. And those who have fly fished for GTs elsewhere, on well known GT destinations like Farquhar in the Seychelles or Christmas Island in the Pacific, tell us they get more shots in Sudan. Our GTs are of a respectable size too: Most GTs are between 10-15 kg (80-90 cm) and the trophies are fish over the 100 cm mark. So far the biggest ones we have landed on fly are heavy built fish around 115 cm (so around 30 kilos), but we have hooked a couple between 30-35 kilos on the flats. Landing them, however, is a different story.

We made another cast with the teaser rod, the big one came up again – and this time he ate the fly

SEASON: April-June.

FLY TO: Fly to Port Sudan via Dubai (direct flight from Dubai).

TYPICAL ITINERARY: Day 1: Afternoon departure to Dubai, stay at airport hotel Day 2: Morning flight to Port Sudan, transfer to the mothership and departure for the fishing grounds Day 3-8: Six full days of fishing Day 9: Transfer to Port Sudan airport and flight back to Dubai PRICE: From around EUR 3200 without flights and visa for Sudan.

The biggest GT we have hooked on a fly was easily 40 kilos, probably more. The angler was a real beast himself; a big guy that cast a 14-weight all day and thought nothing of it.

We teased up this school of GTs, and amongst the more modest-sized fish was this monster GT. The big one went for the fly but a smaller GT of 8 kilos or so beat him to it and almost swallowed the fly in the process. The guy absolutely raped that smaller fish and soon he was ready to cast again.

We made another cast with the teaser rod, the big one came up again – and this time he ate the fly. On the hook set, which was indeed a serious hook set, the leader just exploded!

Maybe the smaller one had damaged it because of the deep hooking? Anyway, that fish still haunts me. It was a true monster on a fly rod and we were in the perfect spot to land it. Maybe next time...

This might only be an average-sized GT from the Nubian flats of Sudan – but caught on a fly rod in shallow water every GT is a trophy in its own right!

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SU DA N – N U B IAN F LATS

SUDAN PACKLIST

What & Why RODS: The go-to rods for the Nubian flats: 9’ #11 or #12 saltwater rods for GT, grouper, snapper etc.

9’ #9 saltwater rods for triggerfish, bonefish etc.

Possible additional rods: 9’ #10 for bumphead parrotfish and large triggerfish 8’-8’6” #13-14 off shore rod REELS: #12 saltwater reels with 300 m 80 lb braid backing #9-10 saltwater reels with 200 m 50 lb braid backing LINES: #11 or #12 floating tropical saltwater lines with extra strong cores – 50 lb or more 9’ #9 floating tropical saltwater lines 9’ #10 floating tropical saltwater lines Additional – sinking offshore lines #13-15 LEADERS: Tapered saltwater leaders - 16-25 lb 100-150 lb mono or fluorocarbon ACCESSORIES: Waterproof backpack Saltwater pliers Hook sharpener Sunglasses CLOTHING: Flats boots Fight- / stripping gloves Handling gloves Long-sleeved shirts (UPF30+) Pants (UPF30+) Shorts Cap & Buff

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THE NUBIAN FLATS IN SUDAN offer an immense diversity of species, and ideally we would bring a ton of gear to cover all fishing possibilities within the 8 – 14-weight range. However, since most of the fishing is done while wading, you need to compromise: Both regarding tackle and objective. Most people wade the flats with a 9-weight rod in hand – ready for triggerfish, bonefish, barracuda and more – and they then carry a pre-rigged 11 or 12-weight rod on their back so they’re ready for any random shot at GTs. Die hard GT fly fishers often choose the opposite, since they do not want to miss a shot at a trailblazing GT on the flats. Ever!

NO MATTER HOW YOU PRIORITIZE the fishing, you need to be serious about your gear. A large GT might very well call for a 14-weight rod or more, but that is not a rod you would want to carry and cast all day. You will be much better off with an 11 or 12-weight rod – and with a strong and reliable fly reel packed with heavy-duty backing, a fly line with an extra strong core and a very heavy leader it is actually possible to land that dream-come-true GT on the flats. Remember, modern fly rods have a lot of power in the butt section!

WHEN PLANNING YOUR TRIP don’t make the mistake of focusing on the hardware only. The right clothes make a big difference when wading and fishing in 30 degrees Celsius. Make sure your wading boots are sturdy and fit you well. Also, a waterproof backpack or chest pack will come in handy when wading through deeper areas or crossing channels, and of course we encourage you to protect yourself with quick-drying UPF30+ clothes. And when you finally get to pose for the camera with that big GT or bluefin, your smile will be a whole lot wider if you remembered a handling glove to protect your hands from the sharp scoots on the tail.

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SUDAN

the flies

With the abundance of species to be found on the Nubian flats, you’ll need a versatile fly box. The GT’s demand huge flies on large hooks. Popular patterns are Semper, Brush and Poodle flies and the NYAP popper. GT’s are big fans of black and purple but make sure to include some lighter colours as well.

Fishing off the reef you’ll need some sinking baitfish patterns. Options in this category of flies are endless nowadays, but most species still seem to be attracted to old school flies like, for instance, a chartreuse Clouser Minnow.

Bonefish in Sudan are no different from bonefish anywhere else in the world and you’ll do well with a selection of lightly coloured proven patterns. Variations tied on heavier hooks will double as triggerfish flies. They love small flies with delicious rubber legs – but their teeth can easily crush a standard lightweight hook.

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Trigger fish and permit are into crabs and tan flies like the Avalon Permit Fly, and the Velcro Crab will often do the trick. It’s always recommendable to bring crabs of various sizes and weights for different spots and tides.

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Nicaragua TAPAM

monster jungle poons 80

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N I CA R A GU A – TA P A M

intro

D

ream just for a moment that you were able to design the perfect fly-rod quarry – what would you conjure up?

– how about 100 pounds apiece with the odd monster ranging to 200 pounds and more?

Something big, no doubt… but how big?

Five pounds? Ten? Why not be greedy?

Come on, let’s stop messing around and really push the boat out – how about 100 pounds apiece, with the odd monster ranging to 200 pounds and more?

OK, so far, so good – our fantasy fish is more than big enough – but what does it look like? And how does it fight?

Well, how about we design a majestic silver sky-rocket of a fish – a chrome-bright berserker that puts even the freshest salmon to shame. While we’re talking salmon, let’s make

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our fish three times as strong…what say we bolt on an outsized tail and have it fight like a demented lunatic, catapulting eight feet into the air in huge, wild cartwheels and tearing off huge quantities of backing in a heart-beat.

How does that sound?

Where does it live – in cold, frosty climes that require thermal insulation and a thermos full of oxtail soup? Forget it – let’s pop our creation into warm waters in the tropical sunshine, where a cold beer or an icy local rum cocktail replaces the traditional hip-flask full of malt whisky as the libation of choice.

Sounds just about perfect, doesn’t it?

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NI CARA GUA – T A PA M

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N I CA R A GU A – TA P A M

Happily, this absurd fantasy is actually a reality. The fish you’ve just dreamt up is in fact Megalops Atlanticus. The Silver King. The one and only Tarpon.

in its infancy, so any angler signing up to fish here should be prepared to experiment, and to become part of the evolution of this very special fly-fishing destination.

If there’s a more exciting fish to target with a fly rod, we’ve yet to find it.

The fish feed on a wide variety of forage and this can present a diverse and intriguing range of conundrums for the fly angler. Some mornings, the sight of mullet jumping clean out of the water with a tarpon of 150 pounds and more leaping skyward right behind them can set your heart racing in your chest, whilst maybe later that same day, anglers can watch similar-sized leviathans sipping in sub-surface shrimp.

There are any number of places to target tarpon throughout the warm tropical seaboards of the Atlantic Ocean, but few can boast fish of a size to rival that of Nicaragua.

Be warned. This is not flats fishing. If you want to fish for tarpon in crystal-clear water four foot deep, this destination is not for you.

However, this hugely underexplored tropical paradise can offer Megalops that are bigger than just about anywhere else on earth. If you are looking for a true monster, Nicaragua really does give you as good a chance as anywhere in the world.

Unlike many tarpon destinations, Nicaragua has seen very little sport fishing, and much of her eastern seaboard is remote and pristine. There is little by way of infrastructure along much of the coast, and a great deal of the fishing is utterly inaccessible.

Tapam means ”tarpon” in the local Miskito language, and it is the name that we have given to our simple but comfortable lodge. From this base, anglers can fish a wide variety of lagoons and channels, and they will not see another angler apart from the handful of fellow fisherman staying at the lodge.

While the fish of the Florida Keys see literally thousands of anglers every season, the fish here are virtually untouched.

That said, the huge fish that swim in these waters did not grow to be so big by being stupid. These fish are old and wise, and they take some catching. They offer a genuine and fascinating challenge to the dedicated fly angler. The fishery is still

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Casting needs to be fast, stealthy and accurate, and in the heat of battle, it is easy to forget to set that hook, hard!

Leave all your trout strikes at home – you need to strip-set and bang that hook into those big, bony jaws, and don’t forget to

...you may just find yourself looking at a fish that kicks the current official IGFA fly-caught record of 202lbs way, way into touch. ”bow to the king” when that colossal creature comes crashing up into the heat of the jungle. There are a million and one ways to lose a big tarpon, and they often involve splintered rods as well as shattered dreams. However, at Tapam, if everything holds together, you may just find yourself looking at a fish that kicks the current official IGFA fly-caught record of 202lbs way, way into touch.

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At Tapam it’s all about tarpon.

Or almost all, anyway.

While we fish for tarpon from dawn to dusk, we sure don’t mind the extra action when a fat jungle snook or a strong jack crevalle grabs one of our flies.

W

the story of

TAPAM

hen the summer rain sets in the fishing comes to an end. Sometime between late June and early July heavy drops of rain start falling from the sky, and the relentless downpour doesn’t stop for a long time. The river rises, the water becomes murky and everything from leafs and branches to big trees are washed out to sea – along with the big tarpon and snook that had left their salty homes for the annual feast on shrimp, mullet, crabs and whatever else the brackish lagoons and rivers are full of. The season is over, and we close down the Tapam lodge and leave the area. By then, the anglers having fished with us the previous four months have possibly hooked more really big tarpon on fly – by that we mean true 150lb+ fish – than anywhere else in the world - at least if you take into consideration that we are fishing a maximum of three boats per week.

We assume that these huge fish are here – and that they grow so big – because of the abundance of food, and the lack of predators. But we don’t know. What we do know is that the area we fish has attracted adventure-seeking anglers long before we secured the fishing rights from the local village and received the blessing from the Nicaraguan authorities.

Back in the mid-seventies an adventurous Texan built a fishing camp a few kilometers downstream from the location of our Tapam lodge. Nowadays, it’s possible to get from Blue-

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fields to the jungle in three hours by speedboat. Back in the seventies, however, the only alternative to a rather unreliable ferry service that took somewhere between twelve and twenty-four hours was to fly in guests and land on a rudimentary runway that usually had to be cleared of cattle before the bush pilot could land the plane. Apparently, the snook and tarpon fishing was so phenomenal that the guests didn’t mind the sometimes edgy flights or staying in simple huts without running water and electricity. Fighting huge tarpon on the tackle of the time wasn’t for everyone and at least nine out of ten fish were lost back then. But then again, many guests came primarily for the phenomenal snook fishing.

heard crazy stories about monster groupers caught in the river, one eating a hooked 15 pound snook right by the boat!, 15-20 feet long swordfish caught at the river mouth, several tarpon way over 200 pounds hooked and landed, and a giant of possibly 300 pounds hooked and lost.

In 1979 the Nicaraguan government collapsed and the inevitable shut down of the fishing camp soon followed.

Because of the political mess, and the fact that the country was on the verge of a civil war, there was no fisheries management, and gill-netters fished every river up the Moskito Coast - mainly for snook. Luckily, the big tarpon had no commercial value and weren’t targeted directly but there is no doubt that many big fish died as accidental by-catches.

The country wasn’t at peace again before a decade had passed.

And the big tarpon, as in really big tarpon, are still around in good numbers.

Even though the logistics aspect of running a lodge in the jungle is still complicated it is relatively easy compared to the challenges of running an operation back in the seventies.

But like almost anywhere else in the world, the fishing was even more spectacular forty years ago. For instance, we have

Today, the gillnetting has been banned for decades and the locals are only fishing with hand lines and casting nets.

The great snook fishing has returned and we have caught

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N I CA R A GU A – TA P A M some impressive specimens – even though it can be difficult to reach them with a fly. And the big tarpon, as in really big tarpon? Well, they are still around in good numbers.

While our operation isn’t really about targeting IGFA-record tarpon on fly (this would mean fishing short bite tippets and 20lb shock tippets for 200 lbs fish!) it is very likely that we do fly fish for some of the biggest tarpon in existence.

Along with West Africa, Central America probably provides shelter for the world’s biggest tarpon and biologists believe that tarpon well over 300lbs are still swimming these waters!

Believe us: a 300lb tarpon is not the fish you want to hook on a fly rod. A 150-pounder, on the other hand, is an

travelling to

NICARAGUA SEASON: February-June.

amazing sight when it catapults itself out of the water to shake off your fly, and we do hook a good number of fish north of 150lbs during the season. We should add, that we are very conservative when we estimate the size of these fish.

Sometimes, our guests might get a little carried away and we have heard of many 200 pounders lost – and some landed.

A particular fish: One that ate a shrimp fly on Catfish Flat in the lagoon, comes to mind. It was a massive fish that was lost after an hour and a half of intense battle, more than three kilometers upstream one of the rivers. Here, it finally wore through the 100lb fluorocarbon tippet. A 200-pound tarpon is an enormous fish! Even for Tapam.

Rediscovering Tapam One of our guides at Tapam discovered the area many years ago when he had a girlfriend in one of the small villages in the jungle. One day, when he went to see her, he suddenly found big tarpon busting bait all around his boat. He had never seen anything like it. If you’re a fishing guide you just have to go back and explore the fishing after such an encounter.

More or less around the same time, a young German backpacked through Central America and somehow stumbled upon an incredible tarpon fishery in a jungle “somewhere in Central America”. He was crazy enough to fly fish for these giant tarpon from a float tube and after numerous visits he went back with a friend to document it all. The result was the now famous movie “Tapam”, which took the fly fishing world by storm in 2011.

FLY TO: Bluefields via Managua.

TYPICAL ITINERARY: Day 1: Evening arrival in Managua, stay at hotel.

Day 2: Midday flight to Bluefields, transfer to Casa Rosa, relax for the rest of the day.

Day 3: Early morning transfer to jungle lodge.

Rig up tackle, enjoy lunch and hit the water.

Day 3-8: Five full days of fishing; first light until lunch and then again early afternoon until dark.

Day 9: Fish first light until lunch, pack up and leave for Casa Rosa. Arrival before dark.

Day 10: Early morning transfer to the airport for flight back to Managua and onwards to your final destination.

PRICE: From around EUR 4000 without flights and hotel in Managua.

It was a massive fish that was lost after an hour and a half of intense battle, more than three kilometers upstream one of the rivers...

A combination of exploratory efforts, determination and a good deal of luck led to a new lodge being established for the 2015-season. And since Tapam means tarpon in the local Moskito language, and because it was later discovered that the area, which the lodge had obtained exclusive sport fishing rights to, was the very same as where the Tapam movie had been shot –– the name stuck.

In this day and age good fishing news travel fast. After only two seasons the Tapam lodge is known all over the world and tarpon enthusiasts from more than fifteen countries have already fished with us for giant jungle tarpon.

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NICARAGUA PACKLIST

What & Why RODS: The go-to rods for tarpon in Nicaragua: 9’ #11-12 saltwater rods Don’t go without a back up rod!

REELS: #12 saltwater reels with 300 m 50-80 lb braid backing LINES: #11-12 intermediate tropical saltwater taper line 400-500 grain tropical sinking line LEADERS: Saltwater leaders 6-10 ft. with 100-130 lb shock tippet ACCESSORIES: Boat bag Saltwater pliers Hook sharpener Sunglasses CLOTHING: Boat shoes or flips Sun/ stripping gloves Long-sleeved shirts (UPF30+) Pants (UPF30+) Shorts Cap Buff Light rain gear

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MAKE NO COMPROMISES when choosing your gear for Tapam. Tarpon fishing is basically just a big accident waiting to happen and chasing the giants of Nicaragua will push your gear to the limit. Most things can go south when setting the hook in a 150lb+ tarpon, so make sure your gear is top-notch and double-checked from the backing to the point of the hook.

FINDING IDEAL FLY RODS for Nicaraguan tarpon is a quest of compromise, and whether to choose 11 or 12-weight rods is an on-going debate. It’s a tough job casting these rods all day and, as a result, part of the answer borders on your physics and your skills. We like a rod with the feeling of a 10-weight and the power of a 12-weight Therefore, we often choose 11-weight rods.

UNLESS YOU’RE DETERMINED to set new line-class world records, we recommend leaving all the complex tarpon leaders, fancy knots and short shock tippets back home. Every knot is another risk and we’ve seen big fish wear through conventional 100 lb shock tippets. Most of the time we fish a leader of straight 120130lb Seaguar fluorocarbon.

REMEMBER THAT THIS IS jungle fishing. Yes, most of the time it is very warm and sunny – but when it rains, it rains a lot. In fact, if there ever was a place to test rain gear this would be it – the jungle showers are THAT heavy! Sun protection must also be taken seriously, but honestly – we love to fish in shorts and bare feet when chasing tarpon. We do not encounter the jungle nor the sun that often, and wearing nothing but shorts and a thin shirt just makes us more comfortable and agile when fishing. The advantage of fishing barefoot is that you will feel your fly line if you end up standing on it.

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TAPAM

the flies

When the big jungle poons are popping shrimp on the surface, the fly choice is easy. However, when the tarpon aren’t really feeding, it can be harder to pick the right fly.

When the tarpon are busting bait the choice is easy: Almost any big baitfish pattern will work during a hot feeding frenzy. We tie them on super-strong hooks and fish them fast. Sometimes, we find tarpon feeding off smaller baitfish in clear water. Then we downscale a bit.

Last season, we had a lot of success fishing with smaller shrimp flies when the fish were less active. Our guess is that during a feeding frenzy - when the fish are really turned on - they will go for our bushy baitfish imitations. However, when they aren’t feeding hard, a small shrimp imitation looks a lot more realistic will lure the tarpon more easily.

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THE GETAWAY

Gear Guide

SIMMS DRY CREEK BOAT BAG

Landlocked fly fishermen sometimes refer to boat bags as unnecessary gadgets.

That might be true if chasing trout up and down a stream is your only thing.

But being on a boat all day will make you appreciate a true boat bag: A bag with easy access and a unique design for boats. If you have ever tried fishing in a boat with one or two other guys and all their tackle and soft bags rolling around, you know what we are talking about. We seriously like the clever locker on this Simms bag.

WATERWORKS LAMSON ARX

Modern spey fishing went in one direction, while fly reels went in another. Thin and slick shooting lines have a nasty way of finding their way between the spool and the frame on most modern lightweight fly reels. That’s why the traditional full-frame designed WW-L Arx has been our trusted friend in both Chile and BC.

SIMMS ACKLINS

Yes, most of the time it is very warm and sunny in the tropics – but when it rains, it often rains a lot.

The tropical showers are usually short and heavy.

You will need a quality jacket that tackles the elements and is easy to stow away. The Acklins jacket is Simms lightest Gore-Tex model and it does the trick for us.

SEAGUAR FLUOROCARBON

Lots is being said about advanced tarpon leaders, but we see it differently. When finally connecting with one of these monsters in a solid hook up, we want a bulletproof no-nonsense leader. It might seem over the top, but most of the time we fish a leader of straight 130lb Seaguar fluorocarbon. Losing a Tapam giant to a regular 80 or 100lb tippet leader just isn’t acceptable. The Seaguar stuff is much more durable. The weakest link taken right out of the equation!

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SIMMS SOLARFLEX CREWNECK

There are lots of nice classic tropical shirts to be found, but when it comes to fishing the tropics, we have swapped into Simms’ thin Solarflex Crewneck shirts: Silk-like comfort, quick drying and UPF50. The Solarflex Crewneck packs down to practically nothing and both the weight and the price tag is half that of traditional shirts – what is not to like?

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS SONAR SALTWATER INTERMEDIATE

We have tried a lot of different intermediate saltwater fly lines in Nicaragua: Most likely every brand there is. When fishing on top and chasing fish in the shallower parts of these waters, an intermediate fly lines is our first pick. The ideal line should load quickly, be able to cast far and make as minimum of tangles. Scientific Angler’s Sonar Saltwater Intermediate: Check, check, check – we like it!

SIMMS SOLARFLEX GUIDE GLOVE

SIMMS FLATS SNEAKERS

Do not underestimate your flats boots – you will be doing a fair amount of wading when fishing the flats of Sudan or Bahamas. We have walked hundreds of miles in our Simms Flats Sneakers and we love them. Though we dig these rugged Flats Sneakers, please make sure to choose boots that really fit your feet. And do not wait until your first day on the flats to try out new boots.

You will not have to dig deep into GT or tarpon fishing before you learn about line burns. Sweat and remains of sun screen does not make it easier to hang on to a slippery fly line attached to a large and fast moving fish. Gloves does. We like the Simms Solarflex Guide Glove for giving that secure feeling. UPF50 Solarflex stretch fabric included.

SCOTT MERIDIAN

Finding the ideal fly rod for Nicaragua tarpon is a quest of compromise. We want a rod light enough to endure long days on the water. And we want a rod that is delicate enough to make an accurate cast. On the other hand, we want a rod powerful enough to chuck out big baitfish flies. And the second we hook a giant, we hope for an even more powerful rod. The same goes for GT’s and all the other fast moving fish in the salt – that’s why we prefer Meridian fly rods.

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working with

GETAWAY We are currently looking for Sales Representatives in the UK, Benelux and southern Europe.

If you’re already involved in the sport fishing industry; if you have a wide network and good knowledge of your market – and if you can find the extra hours to represent Getaway Tours in your region, then drop us a line to learn more: info@getawaytours.eu

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